


in you, i found the world

by hautecleres



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Advice, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Betrayal, Caretaking, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Cindered Shadows DLC Spoilers, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, My Unit | Byleth Has Emotions, Nightmares, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Paralysis, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rating May Change, References to Depression, Scars, Silver Snow - Canon Divergence, Slow Burn, Teasing, Unresolved Sexual Tension, ashen wolves, byleth really needs a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:08:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 46,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22978870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hautecleres/pseuds/hautecleres
Summary: Yuri would never call himself a philanderer; no, he would never compare himself to the likes of Sylvain. To say he hasn't messed around with people would be a complete lie; to say that this was the first time he found himself genuinely finding comfort in someone else... was new to him.Byleth had closed herself off to the world after a foolish mistake nearly cost her life. Her stoic exterior was nothing more than a facade to hide the demons that haunted her everyday. Romance, intimacy, and love were all new experiences.A connection sparks between them. An underground lord and a mercenary; both of their bodies defiled by the horrors of society. To think that such a pair could find solace and love in one another.
Relationships: Yuris Leclair | Yuri Leclerc/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 43
Kudos: 282





	1. lavender fields

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sothis save her, Byleth knew that wouldn't work.
> 
> "You can't fool me, friend. It's clear by the look on your face that something is wrong," Yuri shook his head as he leaned in a bit closer. Byleth tensed up when he placed his fingers under her chin and forced her to look him in the eye.
> 
> Were her heart to beat, she was sure even Yuri would've been able to hear it beating out of her chest. Byleth felt her face warming up, noticing just how close the two of them really are. She wanted to look away, wanted to look away from the eyes that could so easily destroy her walls and leave nothing but her vulnerable self.

He was always a mysterious one.

He was the one that asked Byleth to let him and the other Ashen Wolves join her house under their own terms, and yet despite the hardships they faced together, it always seemed as if Yuri was judging her. He always seemed to surprise her even with his crass language and relentless teasing. 

Yuri was always one step ahead of everyone. Even as he acted coy with Aelfric, even as he risked the lives of his trusted friends to make a measly wager, even as the blood of Aubin was steadily being drained from his body, he relied on Byleth to be his ace for the operation. The look of gratitude is one she can never forget.

It was odd for the Ashen Wolves to stay at the monastery considering their informal "graduation."

However, Byleth had caught his interest, and wherever he went his friends and rogues followed after him. So he stayed at Garreg Mach if only to learn more about Byleth and what was hiding under her stoic exterior. It was in human nature to be curious and to uncover the secrets that hide beneath the surface. 

There's a pebble thrown at her window late at night. Byleth paid no attention to it at first, continuing to grade the tests in front of her, but they continued until a particularly big one hit her window with enough force when she finally found it to be annoying.

In a fit of sleep-deprived anger, Byleth hastily made her way over to her window. She opened her window and looked around. No one was in sight, and the pebbles that were thrown at the glass laid scattered on the concrete below. Byleth felt a tap on the top of her head and froze before looking up. She nearly yelled in surprise before Yuri forced his hand over her mouth, silencing her. He held a finger up his lips and winked at her before removing his hand. 

"Yuri, what in the goddess's name are you doing?" Byleth hissed as she stepped back, watching Yuri jump down from his place on one of the students' balconies.

She certainly wasn't expecting her night to go like this. Not with him flashing her a smug grin and holding his hands up as if being outside her window was completely normal to begin with.

"Wanted to have a nice chat with you, that's what I'm doing, friend," Yuri smirked at her. "Now move aside. It's colder out here than it looks."

She stepped back and watched as he climbed in through her window. Yuri let out a satisfied sigh once he made it inside and closed the window for Byleth.

"Before you ask, I would've knocked on your door, but it would've been rather suspicious for an unknown figure to just walk up to the professor's room this late at night," Yuri told her, the question dying out on her tongue at his answer.

"That still doesn't explain why you're here so late at night," Byleth shook her head. 

She watched as Yuri looked her up and down, the slightest smirk on his face. "Yet you look like you're dressed for an amorous midnight rendezvous," He teased her. "Were you expecting me to show up?"

Byleth looked down at what she was wearing. "It's called a nightgown," she deadpanned, oblivious to the amount of skin that was exposed. "And I was in the middle of grading papers before you interrupted."

"I'm just teasing you, friend," Yuri told her. He casually made his way over to her bed and sat down, his back against the wall. He patted the spot next to him. "C'mere, the night is still young and there's much I want to talk about."

Byleth looked at him before looking back at the stack of papers on her desk. In truth she had been grading them for quite some time, and could use a distraction. She let out a sigh of defeat before climbing onto her bed and sat right next to him.

"Okay Yuri, spill. You've come here for something else, haven't you?" Byleth mused as she quirked an eyebrow at him.

Yuri rested as hand on his chest and faked a wounded expression. "I'm hurt, friend. Can't I just have a nice chat with my professor?"

She gave him an unimpressed look.

"You really lay it on thick, friend," Yuri sighed. "Very well then. As much as I loathe to say this, I must thank you for helping me out the other night. Your intuition was right about the suspicious meeting and yet I was insistent on going alone. I… owe you for the help you provided me.”

Byleth shook her head. “There’s no need for you to do that.”

“I thought you would say that,” Yuri said as he frowned at her words. “It’s something I just can’t not worry about though. I’m not fond of owing people. But I guess this gives me an excuse to surprise you.”

“You came here for something else, did you?” Byleth changed the subject. “You’re not the type to talk about something practically meaningless. There’s something else on your mind.”

“Sharp as ever, friend,” Yuri tapped his temple with a smirk on his face. “It’s about our showdown with the Scorpions. After we finished our business I found this notebook locked up somewhere in their boss’s office. They must have thought this was really valuable.” He reached behind him and pulled out a worn brown notebook.

“I’ve had this notebook since I was a child. The amount of relief that rushed through me when retrieving this was unfathomable,” Yuri told her.

She grabbed the notebook from him and looked at it, cover to cover. It has definitely seen better days.

"It's obvious this notebook holds much meaning to you," Byleth nodded. "Why is that?"

Yuri pondered her question for a moment. "Well… I suppose it doesn't hurt to tell you."

He told her as if it was the most casual thing in the world. 

He spoke of the elder who taught him how to read and write; the same elder that blessed him with life. He spoke of how the disease that plagued and killed many in his village made him realize how helpless he felt. He spoke of how his dream became crystal clear to him, and saving even one unfortunate soul meant everything to him. His dreams, his family, his gang; he revealed it all. Almost.

“Yuri is not your real name?” She gazed at him with a curious look in her eyes.

“That’s something only little ol’ me knows,” he flashed her a smirk. “But if you really think that, I’m curious to see what you think my real name is. Alas, that is a conversation for another time."

Byleth handed him the notebook when he held his hand out. Yuri stashed it away before glancing outside.

"I think that's enough for tonight," He said before standing up. "That was a nice chat. We should do this again sometime."

She shrugged. "If you really want to."

Yuri said nothing as he made his way over to her window. As he was about to make his exit, he looked over his shoulder and flashed Byleth what seemed like his first genuine smile towards her.

"We'll see, friend. Have a nice night," Yuri bid her goodbye.

Byleth sat there for a few minutes, taking the time to realize the implication behind his words. He was opening up to her more than she expected. Not that she minded, though. Yuri had always caught her interest even before he joined her class. It was only natural to be curious about him, right?

She let out a big sigh to snap her out of her thoughts and returned her attention to her desk. 'These papers aren't going to grade themselves,' Byleth thought to herself. 

***

They had little signals whenever they wanted to talk late at night. Yuri was always subtle with his signals, doing things like slipping little notes into Byleth's lesson plans, or leaving a scrap of purple cloth under her door.

Byleth rarely initiated such signals but Yuri eventually caught on that the three stars in the top corner of his papers were her signals.

The location was always the same: Byleth's room. There was never a set time, but Yuri always appeared after midnight. It became a routine for them. Byleth would leave her window cracked open when they wanted to meet up; it was more convenient for Yuri to let himself in than to constantly open the window whenever he appeared.

Byleth enjoyed their talks. From a distance, Yuri was closed off to the world around him, growing cold as a result of the life he led throughout his years. Whenever they were alone his walls were not broken down, but he was more relaxed. 

However, she didn't let her guard down despite how vulnerable the two could become in her room. She heeded the warnings of several rogues down in Abyss; underneath his good looks was a man that relied on his own cunning to get through life. 'He is a rogue, through and through.' A subordinate of his told her that when she first arrived in Abyss. 

"I don't understand how you can handle those noble brats," Yuri told her one night as she was grading papers once more. He didn't prove as a distraction this time, but it didn't prevent him from talking all the same. "I was never able to handle nobility even when I was adopted into House Rowe a few years back. Those are days I don't miss."

"I still find it hard to believe you were adopted by a noble house," Byleth admitted as she set aside a graded test.

"Why? Is it because I don't have an air of nobility to me?" Yuri asked her.

"It's not that," she turned around to look at him. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were the son of a noble house. There's more beneath the surface. The moment we met I immediately recognized the face of a rogue, a peerless fighter. You might have a pretty face, but it's all to hide what you're truly capable of. Any wrong move and you could slit my throat."

"You say that as if you've met such an individual aside from myself," Yuri said, shocked at her observation. "I do my best to not rouse too much suspicion with my intentions."

"It's because I have," Byleth smiled weakly at him. "Let's just say that I've nearly died as a result of my own ignorance."

"And who's to say I won't use you for my own personal gain?" Yuri questioned, quirking an eyebrow at her.

"You're a scoundrel, alright. Suffice to say that if any danger were to come to my students as a result of your motives, I would cut you down without hesitation," she narrowed her eyes at him before her expression softened, a smile on her face. "Something tells me that if you were to use me, it would be to ensure no harm would befall me."

"Ha! Honest as always. I love that about you," Yuri told her.

Byleth returned her attention to grading papers. "Do you now?" She asked. "That's interesting. Very interesting."

Her words baffled Yuri at first. Byleth was never the type to question his wording and not provide an explanation. She was always straight to the point and incredibly honest. He tried to see if her face would betray the implication behind her words. It didn't.

It's not until later that night when Yuri is back in Abyss that he realized what he said to Byleth back in her room.

_I love that about you._

The phrase bounced around in his mind. Blind to his own feelings, he cast the thought aside. 'It was just a difference of wording,' Yuri convinced himself as he sat down in front of his vanity, eyeing the rubbing alcohol and cotton pads laid out in front of him. 'It doesn't hold any meaning.'

***

There were two women that Yuri found to be incredibly strong despite the adversity they faced. The first was his mother, who never complained about the grotesque nature of her job and never resented him for the sacrifices he made to ensure that Aelfric did nothing funny with her. Like mother like son, they were both living scoundrels, scum of the earth, bitches, the works. He would do anything to protect her.

The second was Byleth.

'The Ashen Demon!' His rogue exclaimed when she first arrived at the monastery. 'All the stories are true. She has this cold, dead look in her eyes. At any given moment I bet she could beat the shit out of everyone. It's like she's entirely devoid of emotion.'

His rogue was terribly wrong.

Contrary to the nickname she was given, Byleth was one of the most patient and trusting individuals he has met in his life. There weren't many people out in the world who were like her; Byleth's presence at the monastery had a huge impact on both the students and faculty. Yuri remembered how during their first meeting, she successfully dispatched him of his weapon and had him in a choke hold. The look of pride she flashed toward the house leaders and their friends did not scream of a woman devoid of all emotion.

As time went on, Yuri learned more about Byleth. She was a glutton; there was always a peculiar light in her eyes when they served her favorite dishes. She was observant; knowing what kinds of gifts her students liked, which lost item belonged to whom, and always tried to lend them a hand when it was needed. She was so incredibly strong; not just physically, but mentally as well.

Not even the deformed monster that her mother's deceased body turned into caused her to become so emotionally damaged and vulnerable as they all watched Jeralt's casket being lowered into the earth. 

He remembered it so vividly; the image of Byleth hunched over her father's body, blood staining the ground and Byleth's hands red. The rain had drowned out whatever tears were rolling down her face but it wasn't enough to silence the sobs that left Byleth, her body trembling. The look of despair as she was torn away from Jeralt's body; Ferdinand, Caspar, and Edelgard all holding her down, for their strength combined was barely enough to keep her away as Linhardt, Dorothea, and Constance tried their best to seal the wound on Jeralt's body.

"We're too late…" Constance's voice was low as Byleth went languid, falling to her knees. "He's gone."

It was days after the funeral. Byleth still refused to leave her room even for meals or to teach her students. Professor Hanneman and Professor Manuela along with the other Knights would lead the lectures in her stead. The Black Eagles classroom wasn't the same without her. There was a void at the front of the classroom where she should be standing.

The walls that Yuri had purposefully broken down to learn more about Byleth had built itself up once more, this time with a defense that seemed nearly impenetrable. His visits to her room were cut down entirely; her locked window was enough implication that she didn't want him there. It was then that Yuri realized that the Byleth he knew was replaced with the Byleth that came to the monastery at the beginning of the school year. Emotionless, hard to approach, and undeniably not Byleth.

He's walking by the training grounds after dealing with his business for that night. There's the familiar thwack of a training dummy being hit from the other side. It wasn't unusual for some of the students to visit the training grounds late at night. He would go from time to time when the houses were sent out for their missions. Yuri paid no attention until he heard something shatter-- most likely the splintering of wood-- from the other side. Curious, he walked over and opened the doors, peeking in.

Byleth was standing in the middle of the training grounds, her jaw clenched tight and her body trembling as she threw her now broken training sword to the ground. From the looks of it, she had broken her fourth training sword. She let out a loud huff before marching over to the bin to grab another one. With her back turned to him, Yuri slipped past the doors and started to walk up with her.

He quickly moved his head to the side as a dagger whipped past his head and stuck itself into the training hall door. Yuri looked over at Byleth to see that she threw the dagger that was hoisted on her thigh. Her attention returned to the bin of training swords.

"Go away, Yuri," Byleth mumbled, her voice raw. "If you wanted to talk then you're fresh out of luck. I'm not in the mood."

"I didn't come here to talk, friend. Just curious to see how you're doing."

"Well let's see… my mother's body has been destroyed and my father has been laid to rest next to an empty coffin where she should have been all along. Everything's fine," she spat out as she finally found her pick, pushing past Yuri before she continued to hit the training dummy.

He sighed. "You're just a ray of sunshine, aren't you?" No response. Yuri shook his head before reaching his hand into the bin and pulled out his own training sword. He pointed it at her and narrowed his eyes. "Let's spar, you and I."

Byleth stopped mid-swing to look over her shoulder. She's surprised by his proposition, her lips parted in a small o. It's immediately replaced with a frown. "What are you getting at?"

"Just wanted to spar with my professor," Yuri shrugged. "Never done it before so might as well since the opportunity is there." He's seen her spar before with Felix and Edelgard where her fluid movements remind him of a dancer and her technique was carefully calculated. However, he's keenly aware that she's not in her element. If he cannot help her with his words, he will help her with his actions.

Byleth contemplated it for a moment. "Fine. We will spar until one of us yields. But if I win you're going to leave me alone for the rest of the night." She got into position.

He mirrored her stance. "How curious. I've already won before it began, friend," Yuri said before Byleth ran at him. He immediately blocked her attack and stepped back before swinging his sword forward.

Just as he thought, Byleth was out of her element. Her movements were impulsive, barbaric, and showed no intent of slowing down. Yuri parried every attack she threw at him, keeping his face neutral as he saw through her relentless attacks. His last parry allowed him to thrust his sword forward, jabbing her in the side.

She stumbled back for a moment before regaining her footing. Where Byleth was known for her raw strength, Yuri made up for it with his speed. Another swing hit her sword arm and she clenched her teeth, ignoring the pain that flowed throughout her body. She left herself too vulnerable.

"Give it up, Byleth," Yuri said as their swords clashed once more. They looked at each other and Yuri saw an unusual fire in her eyes, one he had never seen before. "Any longer and I will seriously hurt you."

"Nothing I've never experienced before," Byleth muttered through clenched teeth.

"You are a fool. If you were like this on the battlefield you'd be dead," Yuri narrowed his eyes at her. Anger bubbled up in his chest at her indifference. He was outraged at her lack of care. This was the Ashen Demon that his rogue spoke of. This was the Byleth he hated the most. In a fit of rage he yelled at her, "Would Sitri and Jeralt have wanted this for you, Byleth!?"

Yuri saw the look in her eyes at the mention of her parents. It was a dangerous look; one with the intent to dispose of others. She swiftly lifted her sword and brought it down once more. Yuri was prepared to block her attack before he saw the familiar Crest of Flames manifest above her head. His eyes widened before he brought his sword up to no avail. The activation of Byleth's crest gave a boost to her strength and in a single blow both of their swords shattered to pieces.

The impact surprised him so much he didn't have enough time to react when Byleth had lunged herself at him. Yuri fell to the ground and felt all the air being knocked out of him. He gasped in pain before a hand made its way around his throat, holding his head in place. Yuri looked to find Byleth hovering over him, her pupils dilated from anger.

Her grip tightened around his throat and Yuri felt himself going lightheaded. If he didn't do anything Byleth would actually kill him and he knew that if she did it would only cause her to sink further into despair. He weakly wrapped his hand around her wrist. 

Yuri flashed her a dark look. "I win, friend."

He didn't give her a second to ponder on his words. With all the strength he could muster, Yuri swung his arm and aimed right for her face. The impact was immediate and she was knocked to the side.

He coughed out as his blood began to flow again and sat up. Yuri looked over at Byleth and saw that her body was splayed against the floor, her eyes closed. She was knocked out cold, just like he intended to in the first place.

"Sorry, friend," Yuri muttered as he walked over to her body and shifted his weight so he could carry her limp body. "Manuela will heal you but you really need the rest. I won't allow you to hurt yourself any longer."

He made the trek to the infirmary, carrying Byleth over his shoulder. When Yuri appeared at her doorstep, Manuela had given him an earful that he arrived so late at night but had settled Byleth into one of the infirmary beds despite that. She withdrew her hand after doing a quick check on Byleth.

"She's lost some weight," Manuela murmured as she scoured the shelves of medicine for a certain bottle. "Her blood pressure is low and it's clear that she definitely needs rest. We'll have to provide her nutrients and other vitamins if she wants to keep up her strength. She could have gotten killed on the battlefield if she went out in this state."

"I thought as much," Yuri mused at Manuela's words. 

She looked at him as she took a syringe and began extracting some of the essence out of a glass bottle. "You know, it would mean a lot for her to know that one of her students cared so much for her wellbeing."

"Oh, I doubt that," He played with the ends of his hair. "I've played dirty with her in that sparring session of ours. She will no doubt get back at me should the opportunity present itself."

"And I doubt you," Manuela said softly as she lifted Byleth's arm and stuck the syringe in her vein. "You wouldn't have knocked her out and brought her to me otherwise. I think your confrontation will knock some sense into her."

"Professor Manuela, I think you're utterly wrong. I did this knowing how worried everyone has been about her. Nothing more," Yuri said before he turned around. "I'll come visit her in the morning. Please take good care of her." 

Manuela set a hand on her hip as she watched Yuri walk out. She let out a loud sigh and looked over at Byleth. "You can't fool me, Mr. Leclerc… I can identify a lovesick fool when I see one."

***

She looked different. A bit too different for Yuri's liking.

The mission to enact revenge on Monica had run too smoothly for his own comfort before Byleth was sucked into a dark void. He fought alongside Edelgard and his other classmates to fend off whatever enemies were sent their way, clinging to the hope that their professor would return to them.

And return she did.

There was a miscalculation on his end. He had aimed to take out an enemy mage until Solon summoned a Demonic Beast to appear right behind him. Yuri can only remember how Hapi and Balthus yelled out his name as the beast nearly swung its gigantic claw at him.

And then she appeared.

Byleth tore through the sky with the Sword of the Creator. It was a sight to behold, watching as if she was tearing through time itself to return to the real world. She jumped out of the sky and landed on top of the beast's head before bringing down her judgement. The beast could only cry out in pain as it fell to the ground. Yuri could only stare in shock and awe as she returned to them, carrying on the battle with Solon with ease. Her new appearance brought forth one word stuck at the tip of his tongue.

Goddess.

“You look like an entirely different person,” Yuri said as his hands casually ran through Byleth’s mint green hair. They had fallen back into their routine from two months ago, their midnight talks returning. “What else is different about you?”

“I’m talking more, if that’s what you mean,” Byleth replied bluntly as she removed Yuri’s hand from her hair. “Otherwise, I’m the same Byleth you have always known, Yuri.”

“You say that and yet it’s hard to believe,” he shook his head. “It reminds me of Sitri’s hair.”

“My mother?” Byleth raised an eyebrow at his words. “Ah, right. I always forget that you saw her when you were playing around with Aelfric.”

“It still pains me that as a result of his selfish desire, your mother’s body has disappeared,” Yuri said as he stared off into the distance. “His actions were unforgivable. Even if Sitri’s condition was questionable from the beginning, everyone knows that you can’t revive the dead.”

“The Rite of Rising…” Byleth closed her eyes. Images of her mother’s lifeless body laying before the casket of Saint Seiros and the blood that drained from Yuri’s body flashed in her mind. She could never forget the horrible demon that resulted from the blood in the chalice. “We were lucky that the entire battle was contained within the cathedral. Otherwise it would have painted a horrible image on the church if that monster got out.”

“I guess that’s one thing that was in our favor,” the smallest smile was on his face.

“Yeah…”

Yuri glanced at Byleth as she looked down at her legs. A big frown was on her face. She was doing more than just talking, she was becoming an open book. The look on her face immediately told him that something was wrong.

“Penny for your thoughts?” He jokingly asked her. “You seem to be contemplating something.”

Byleth closed her eyes again. She had lost so much ever since coming to the monastery. Her friendship with Sothis, her father, and even her mother that was long dead. Then she thought about the events leading up to the Rite of Rising. She thought about how much she came to care for the Ashen Wolves. Balthus, Constance, Hapi… 

And yet, there was something about Yuri that differed from the other Wolves; something that piqued her interest so much she was curious to learn more about him. He was a cunning man who played his cards right and cared deeply for his mother and his gang. He was the protector of Abyss; the children looked up to him and the elderly respected him. Despite the reverence that many felt toward him, Byleth saw more beneath his character. She saw a young man troubled with the burdens of those he wished to protect; a man who was willing to sacrifice even the bonds of trust to ensure the safety of his people. 

When she saw the amount of blood Yuri was losing during the Rite of Rising, she thought he would turn up dead before she reached him. When he flashed her a smile and thanked her for following through with his words, she could only stare back in disbelief that he placed so much of his faith in her. Why was it that despite all the threats, the teasing, and the hardships they have experienced that Byleth can’t stop thinking about him?

“That’s all I’m doing. Just thinking,” Byleth told Yuri. She opened her eyes to look at him and she prayed to whatever gods were out there that he would not see through her lie.

Sothis save her, Byleth knew that wouldn't work.

"You can't fool me, friend. It's clear by the look on your face that something is wrong," Yuri shook his head as he leaned in a bit closer. Byleth tensed up when he placed his fingers under her chin and forced her to look him in the eye.

Were her heart to beat, she was sure even Yuri would've been able to hear it beating out of her chest. Byleth felt her face warming up, noticing just how close the two of them really are. She wanted to look away, wanted to look away from the eyes that could so easily destroy her walls and leave nothing but her vulnerable self.

Byleth wasn't new to being touched; she had been touched worse in her mercenary days and often stabbed a man in his thigh as a warning should he try to grope her again. She wasn't new to sex either, having engaged in such an act before. However trivial they used to be when she was a mercenary, Byleth had changed and the new feeling of Yuri's touches always made her blush. It was beyond the stage of wanting and yearning. It was beyond just feeling like his touches were intended to tease her.

Byleth wanted to curse herself. She knew Sothis would chastise her for being so blind to her own feelings. 'I may have known for quite some time, but it took you awhile to catch on,' She imagined Sothis saying to her.

"Your face is rather cute this color," Yuri teased her. "Am I the one who's doing this to you?" The teasing edge of his words did nothing to hide the look in his eyes; a look of devotion and care.

She closed her eyes and sighed before she reached up and removed Yuri's hand from her face. Byleth knew better than to act on her useless fleeting feelings, knowing very well what such vulnerability could bring in. Yuri was far from the bandit leader that betrayed her and Byleth was well aware of that.

There were things from the past that just simply couldn't be erased.

"It's getting late," Byleth attempted to chastise him. "You should head back to Abyss now, Yuri."

"Not wanting to open up now, hm?" Yuri questioned but didn't push her. The pained look on her face explained everything. Whatever he did to her, it reminded Byleth of a painful moment in her past. Yuri knew how horrible it felt to have painful memories of the past dug up once more. He simply ignored them when they resurfaced but of course not everyone would react like him.

He was halfway out her window when he called for her attention. Byleth opened her eyes and looked at Yuri. A small smile was on his lips. 

"Just remember that I am here for you, friend. We all have our own fair share of demons to deal with. There are things that I'm not proud of, and I'm sure that you are not proud of certain things as well. If you're ever willing to open up about this, you know I'm not that far away."

Byleth watched as Yuri disappeared into the night, the window closing behind him.

'He has a point,' She could hear a familiar voice murmur deep within her mind. 'You're much stronger than this, Byleth. For all the trust others have in you, you need to put the same amount of trust in them.'

Byleth buried her face into a pillow.

***

Edelgard had revealed herself as the Flame Emperor.

Byleth had to make the decision to either protect or kill Edelgard. She chose the latter, which ultimately led to the new emperor's declaration of war against the Church of Seiros, Faerghus, and the Alliance. A month after their visit to the Holy Tomb the monastery had turned into a base of operations, preparing for the battle against Edelgard. She felt like the world was coming down, knowing full well that if the war were to extend to all corners of Fodlan her students would be thrown into the war.

“Tell me, friend, do you ever think about when it will be your time to go?” Yuri asked her one night before Edelgard’s imminent invasion upon Garreg Mach.

“I can’t say the thought hasn’t crossed my mind before.” Byleth told him as she made a little check mark in one of the boxes on her paper. She counted the amount of concoctions they had before returning her attention to the clipboard in her hands. “As a mercenary, I had those small chances where I went up against a formidable foe. Suffice to say that despite what others said about my skills on the battlefield, I am not invincible and could be crushed if I’m not careful.”

“I see. I guess even the ones most confident in their abilities must rely on them to survive in this world,” Yuri nodded at her words as he placed another sword in the growing pile by the storage room door. “These will need to be forged by the smithy in the morning. It would do us no good if our weapons broke in the middle of the fight.”

When Byleth didn’t reply to his comment, Yuri looked over his shoulder to look at her. Though only her back was facing him she was visibly tense. She tightly gripped the pencil and clipboard in her hands, and her body was shaking too.

“Hey now,” he walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, “you okay there, friend?”

Yuri stepped back when Byleth snapped the pencil in her hand, and that seemed to bring her back to reality. 

“I… what?” Byleth opened her hand and watched as what remained of her pencil clattered to the floor. “I apologize, Yuri. I haven’t been getting much sleep as of late. Knowing that there's still so much to do before Edelgard's invasion, it’s hard to rest.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Now, now, friend, that doesn’t do good for anyone around here,” Yuri clicked his tongue. “As the one leading the defense against the Imperial army, we need you in the most pristine condition to lead us on the battlefield. We can’t have you dying on the battlefield. I won’t allow it.”

“Yuri…” Byleth was at a loss for words. She had been running herself raggard for over a month making preparations and making sure that all of her students were prepared to fight for their lives. Always putting others ahead of herself, Byleth didn’t think anything of it when she pulled all-nighters or skipped meals and instead carried on with her day as if it didn’t affect her.

“I apologize,” she said after a moment of silence. “You’re right, I should be doing a better job of taking care of myself.”

“Here, I can do this,” Yuri explained as he took the clipboard out of her hands. He moved to the side when Byleth turned around to take it back from him and that was when he finally got a good look at her. “Gods, Byleth, if I didn’t know any better I’d think you were nothing but a walking corpse.”

“I’m fine,” she stated as she made another weak attempt to get the clipboard back. Instead, her knees buckled and she was heading face first for the floor. That would have been the case if Yuri didn’t extend his free arm out to catch her.

“You need a bath. And a hot meal. Plus some rest and a damn reality check,” Yuri shook his head. “Are you some sort of fool? This is killing you more than what any sort of disease can do to you.” She stayed silent as Yuri helped her stand upright again. “You’re not allowed to die on me yet, friend. Understood?”

Byleth looked up at him and saw the genuine concern on his face. She wanted to slap herself for making him worry. What if she had collapsed on the battle against Edelgard? What would her students do without her?

“I… I won’t die on you, Yuri. Promise,” Byleth told him. “We will see it through to the end, yeah?”

He flashed her a smile. “Of course. But first, you need to get some sleep. After that, you can continue to watch me fulfill that dream of mine.”

She smiled back at him.

He always placed an unusual amount of faith in her.

***

Byleth had been proclaimed missing, the report coming from Claude after Edelgard’s invasion. Shortly after the white beast had appeared, Yuri saw Byleth run in the opposite direction. He paid no mind to it, Byleth was an enigma and he knew that she would never do anything irrational on the battlefield.

It wasn't until Yuri experienced with his own eyes how Byleth was pushed back to a cliffside with dark magic and watched as the ground crumbled beneath her that he had felt so powerless. His dream to save even one unfortunate soul almost felt like it meant nothing. He was the one who had watched as Byleth fell to her demise, and amidst the loud roar of the white beast he heard her scream out to no avail. 

His former classmates in the Black Eagles found it dangerous to return to the Empire. Nevertheless, Yuri did nothing when they made the ultimate decision to go back. Aside from Dorothea, they were all nobles. They had to deal with the consequences of their betrayal against their homeland. The former songstress had decided to return as well in hopes that she would help with the war effort in her own ways. 

The pain Yuri felt had eventually turned into anger, and then the anger subsided into acceptance for what came to pass. He felt the burning stares from his friends all the time as he had thrown himself into more underground business than normal.

"Yuri-bird, this isn't good for you."

They had cornered him in the Ashen Wolves classroom.

"Hapi has a point. We're worried for you, Yuri. I can only imagine how crestfallen you are at the professor's disappearance, especially considering the close bond you formed," Constance told him. "But there is a fine line between grieving and harming yourself."

"We get it, you're the boss. We shouldn't be questioning your every move. But it's more erratic than normal. Do you understand what would happen to Abyss if you were to die, Yuri?" Balthus narrowed his eyes at him.

"As if I'm capable of dying," Yuri nearly snapped at them. "I understand the concern, but do you guys really think I could die from a small mistake on my part?"

"With how irrational you're being, yes! I do think such a thing is possible! You're not yourself, Yuri. You need to snap out of it for the sake of Abyss!" Constance chastised him. 

"You're lucky that Eddy-- I mean… the Emperor had decided to leave Abyss alone. But that doesn't mean that we aren't suffering from the war as much as the next person," Hapi murmured. 

"One wrong move and Edelgard will wipe out Abyss before our very eyes. Does that not concern you!?" Constance nearly gasped. 

"Nothing will happen to Abyss," Yuri told them as he pushed himself past Balthus. "So long as I'm alive the people of Abyss will never suffer from the horrors of war."

The remaining Ashen Wolves watched as Yuri sauntered out of the classroom. Constance and Hapi exchanged equally concerned looks while Balthus shook his head. 

Yuri was fully aware of what he was doing to himself. People could argue that he was much stronger than this, but to feel nothing was to not be human. Even if he had committed unspeakable acts and slept at night as if he did nothing wrong, to feel was to show what little humanity he had left in him. Yuri never cried. He hadn't since he was a child. Vulnerability never favored those who were struggling.

However, Yuri still felt remorse. He felt sorrow for his own incompetence to protect the one person who understood him the most. In the moments when the war hit the hardest, Yuri turned to no one. His feelings of grief built up and in turn constructed a wall that separated him from those he had deemed reliable. 

Only the strongest survived, and Yuri had to survive. For the sake of Byleth. Even if her memory was imprinted so deeply into the hearts of those she grew to care for, Yuri never wanted her memory to disappear. Staying alive was the only way to repent for his sin of watching Byleth fall to her demise and not doing a damn thing to help her.

Damn whatever Gods lived out there. Yuri had found himself growing into a fool. It had taken until she was finally gone for Yuri to realize how much he cared for Byleth. How much he found comfort in spending time with her, the solace he felt being alone in her room. How much he had loved her. The feeling scared him, immediately pushing it away to protect himself from harm. Yuri did not think himself capable of being loved.

But in Byleth he had found a world where he was able to be himself. A world where he was not known as the Savage Mockingbird or the Lord of the Underground. Because of Byleth, he was able to just be himself. His real name, long-forgotten in the depths of his mind, returned to Yuri. However, he knew there was no way to bring back the dead. 

(He absolutely refused to turn to the chalice. He absolutely refused to become Aelfric, to be driven by the desire to just see Byleth's face one last time. He absolutely refused to become a monster.)

Yuri's real name would be lost forever, and his love for Byleth would forever be unrequited for as long as he lived.

***

He had been checking on the residents in the village close to Garreg Mach. While his duty was in Abyss, Yuri extended his help to more as the war continued to wage on. Imperial forces had been scarce around the villages; no one would dare approach the monastery when it has become a nest for thieves. They were thieves Yuri did not associate himself with. Scum of the earth that dared to pillage the weak when the people should have been coming together. 

Yuri was making the rounds, speaking to the elderly and entertaining the young ones before one of the villagers approached him. His eyes were as wide as saucers.

"Woah, calm down there," Yuri shook his head in concern. "What seems to be the problem?"

"I was getting drinking water from the stream when this woman came floating from the mouth!" The man managed to muster out. "She's entirely soaked from head to toe, and it seems like she's completely knocked out! I pulled her out from the water, but she has yet to wake up. I'm afraid she might have already drowned."

"Can you take me to her?"

Yuri wasn't prepared to be surprised. He wasn't prepared for the woman that was pulled out of the ravine to be someone he hadn't seen for five years. He thought she had died and yet the goddess decided to play with his feelings. The body the villager pulled out was none other than Byleth. She looked the same as she did at the battle five years ago, donning the same outfit she wore on the battlefield.

Byleth's body was curled up like a ball, her arms cradling the Sword of the Creator close. Yuri kneeled down. He noticed the amount of scars that adorned her body: proof that she had suffered immensely from the fall. And yet, with all the scars on her body, he noticed that none of her bones were broken or sprained. He knew Byleth was not normal to begin with but a body that suffered no major injuries from a situation like that… was definitely not normal at all.

Yuri looked up at the villager who brought him to her. "Please, fetch for one of the clerics. We need to give her treatment immediately. Hurry now!" He watched as the villager scampered off.

He returned his attention to Byleth. Her skin was cold to the touch, and she showed no signs of movement. Yuri hesitantly brought a hand up to brush her mint green hair out of her face, and took a good look at her. Five years and yet he had almost forgotten how Byleth looked. She had never looked more peaceful than she did at that moment, and a selfish part of Yuri wanted to ensure that she always looked that way. He reached over and carefully pried the Sword of the Creator out of her arms before sheathing it. Yuri reached down to wrap his arms around her and he counted to three before standing up. 

Yuri made his way back to the village, carrying Byleth in his arms. He had lost her before. He was going to make sure that such a thing never happened again. 

One of the clerics had taken the liberty of preparing the bed before Yuri arrived. Once he got her all situated in the bed he flashed the cleric a concerned look. 

"Please, do whatever you can to help her."

She nodded before turning her attention to Byleth, holding both her hands over the former professor. He watched as white magic began to flow freely from her fingers and covered Byleth in a bright blue glow. Yuri dragged a wooden chair over to the side of Byleth's bed and leaned forward with his hands clasped together. The cleric had retracted her hands away and turned around before rummaging through her different tools.

"It's odd," the cleric spoke up. "I wasn't able to detect a heartbeat. That should've been an indication that she died. But her pulse…" she stopped what she was doing and looked over at Yuri, a grim expression on her face. "A pulse that goes without a heartbeat… I wonder how such a thing became possible in the first place. Needless to say that she is indeed alive. But I don't know how long it will be until she wakes up."

A wave of relief washed over him. The promise of seeing Byleth's smile once more caused Yuri's chest to stir with an unfamiliar motion. He felt himself laughing before he looked over at Byleth and was reminded of the feelings he had buried long ago. 

'When she wakes up,' Yuri told himself, 'I will tell her everything.'


	2. emerald showers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I can't believe the words that are coming out of your mouth right now," Byleth let out an exasperated sigh. "It's not like they'll careen both me and my wheelchair into the ravine."
> 
> "Byleth, I think you underestimate the Ashen Wolves," He retorted. "Balthus would _definitely_ do that."
> 
> She sat there for a moment trying to defend the man but she could only shake her head, a small laugh escaping her lips. "Goddess, you're right," Byleth sputtered out almost hysterically. "Balthus _would_ do that."

Byleth could only remember herself falling. Falling down the cliff, into the dark abyss of the unknown. She doesn't remember how she ended up in a bed in a village close to the monastery. She doesn't remember what year it was, or how much time has inevitably passed as a result of her long slumber.

She opened her eyes to the warm glow of a candle at her bedside. It was dark outside. There was no movement inside the house. Byleth blinked a few times before she attempted to sit up in the bed. The ache in her arms screamed at her to stop putting so much pressure, that she did not have the strength.

Byleth let out a small sigh and allowed her head to fall back onto the pillow. She looked to the side and noticed that her Enlightened One outfit hung on the wall. The Sword of the Creator leaned against the wall below. Immediately, her thoughts began to drift off. She thought about the year, her students in the Black Eagles house, the students from the other houses, Edelgard, Rhea, the Knights of Seiros, the Ashen Wolves, Yuri--

Her face began to heat up. How foolish of her to think of him. Byleth didn't even know if he was still alive. She could've been sleeping for a millenia for all she knew. She had left everyone behind for Sothis knows how long and to wake up in a stranger's house with no recollection of what was happening caused the twinge of guilt to grow larger. Her students and close allies could be dead for all she knew, buried deep into the earth. 

She froze when she heard the front door open. Byleth had to bring her hand up to shield the moonlight that flooded through the door, her eyes not quite adjusted to the bright light. It was just enough to illuminate the figure that stood in the doorway.

His hair had grown longer, his shoulders more broad and his stature more confident than it had been in years. Byleth couldn't believe her eyes once she saw the familiar lavender hair and eyes, adorned with his signature eyeshadow and his lips glossed.

"Yuri…?" She called out to him hesitantly, unsure if she was hallucinating. Her fear was immediately washed away as he closed the door behind him and quickly walked over to her. Byleth didn't have the time to process her upper body being lifted off the bed as she was pulled into a hug.

Byleth blinked several times. Even during their times at the academy, they were never this close. Not even once. She felt Yuri hold her close, his nose buried in the crown of her head. It was warm, this embrace of theirs. She had never experienced such warmth in a long time, even before her disappearance; it made her crave for his touch. She weakly wrapped her arms around Yuri in return, resting her chin on his shoulder. 

"You're back, friend…" Yuri whispered as she felt his hand rubbing circles into her back through the fabric of her shirt. "You have no idea how happy it makes me to see you again." He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers, looking into Byleth's bright eyes. She wasn't used to this, the intimacy of being so close to someone. She was used to being rushed, never fully taking the time to enjoy such intimate moments. 

"Yuri, how long…" The question died out on her tongue, Byleth hesitant for answers. She weakly pulled away from his close hold and took a good look at Yuri. He didn't look to have aged much. Her face scrunched up in confusion. "You look… different."

Yuri chuckled. "Just what exactly is that supposed to mean, friend? Do you mean to say that I'm not as charming as I used to be?"

"No, not at all!" Byleth shook her head. Her eyes drank in everything they could, her eyebrow furrowed. "In fact… I think you look more charming. The years have certainly been kind to you, Yuri."

Yuri took the compliment in stride despite the warmth that bloomed within his chest. He hoped that he wasn't blushing. "And yet, you've looked like you haven't aged at all, Byleth. It's been… Gods, nearly five years since your disappearance."

"F-Five…!?" Byleth gasped in surprise. "I've been gone for that long?"

He nodded, a grim expression on his face. "A few months from now would've been the Millennium festival. But with how things are, no one is in the mood to celebrate such trivial festivities. The war is currently at a stalemate right now. Movements from the Imperial Army have remained stagnant these last few moons."

Byleth took a moment to process the information that Yuri dumped on her. She closed her eyes and tried to think as to why she had been gone for so long, why it wasn't until now that her body had the strength to walk the world with her students. Her mind began to wander off, thinking of how lonely these past five years must have been to fend off a war they were thrusted into at the last second. And then she thought of Edelgard, the Emperor and her former student, the illusion of a girl that heavily guarded her past immediately replaced with the image of a ruler seeking to unite Fódlan through whatever means necessary.

"Hey now," Byleth snapped out of her thoughts when Yuri placed a finger under her chin and gently tilted her head up to look at him. She opened her eyes and felt herself engulfed in the warmth in Yuri's eyes, her concerns ebbing away. "Don't let that mind of yours wander off too far. For now, you need to rest." Byleth tried not to show her disappointment when he pulled away from her entirely, her body flopping back onto the bed.

"I think I've been asleep for far too long," Byleth retorted. "Five years and I've missed so much. I want to know more about what has happened. What I have missed."

"Well, I've had some good connections these past five years," Yuri chuckled. "I'm currently up to date on the current statuses of everyone from the Black Eagles house. I will tell you only if you will rest. You can wait until morning comes. Don't worry, I'll be here when you wake up."

"You say that and yet you're the one who came here so late at night," Byleth pointed out, reluctantly closing her eyes. She heard Yuri shift around the room. "What even brought you here this late?"

"Call it a habit, if you will. It's been days since you've reappeared and I've been stopping by this makeshift infirmary to come check up on you," Yuri told her. "It reminds of our midnight talks during our time at the Academy. But instead of us having a conversation, it was mostly me checking up on you. Pondering if and when you will wake up. Tonight shines its luck upon me."

"You haven't changed one bit, Yuri…" Byleth began to drift off, burying herself deeper into her blankets. "I hope that you will open up to me like you did… all those years ago… I… want to know everything…"

Yuri glanced toward her direction. Byleth had drifted asleep, a peaceful expression on her face. A rare smile crossed his features.

"I will, friend. You will know everything there is in due time," He casted a longing look at Byleth. "For now, rest. It's a long road ahead of us, after all."

***

Byleth woke up to the sun shining directly into her face. Her eyes fluttered open to the curtains pushed aside as the morning sun began to shine its ambient glow to the entire world, seeping through the window. Now that the entire house was lit up, Byleth took a few moments to take in her surroundings. She remembered what Yuri told her last night about the house being a makeshift infirmary. As far as she knew, Byleth was the only patient. It was nothing like the infirmary Manuela had at the monastery but there were shelves stocked with medicines and other important tools that healers would need to treat their patients. 

She snapped out of her morning daze as she heard several voices not that far away from her. Pillows obscured her vision and she had to tilt her head a certain way to peek over them. True to his word, Yuri had stayed there until she woke up. To her right she could hear him speaking with someone; most likely the cleric that ran the infirmary and helped nurse her back to health. Their backs were turned to her. 

"I've discovered something recently," a voice spoke up. "Something… rather uncomfortable, actually."

"Does this have to do with Byleth?" Yuri questioned.

"Yes. When you first brought her in I initially healed all the wounds and bruises she sustained. These past few days I've been checking her body to ensure that nothing was broken. While that is not the case, I've discovered something… On her back is a rather large scar. Nearly runs down her entire back."

Byleth's blood ran cold.

"Well, considering how she fell down a fucking cliff I wouldn't be surprised if she sustained an injury to her back--"

"Yuri, you didn't let me finish," the voice chastised him. "That's the part that has made me rather uncomfortable. That scar seems as though it's been there for a very long time. Probably years before she became a professor at the academy. That scar… whatever injury she sustained in the past, she must have grown temporarily paralyzed."

"I see…" Yuri trailed off. "How exactly does this relate to Byleth if she's perfectly okay now? I've seen her defeat foes one by one with ease on the battlefield. Nothing would've made me think that she was paralyzed in the past."

"She must have undergone a rigorous rehabilitation process. It's almost impossible to completely rid one of paralysis, but if they were to relentlessly try and try again during their rehabilitation, it is possible to project yourself as a normal human being," the cleric told Yuri. "However, it's impossible for it to fully go away." She went silent before she said, "There's the possibility that, from the waist down, Byleth is paralyzed again. And this time, it might be permanent."

Her words cut through Byleth like a knife. She allowed her head to fall back onto the pillows once more before she looked down, the blankets covering her lower body. Fear built up within her at the thought of her lower body being permanently paralyzed. She has experienced it before, the feeling of weakness she felt at the mere age of seventeen, Jeralt continuously asking the clerics if there was no way to cure the paralysis.

Such a thing has haunted Byleth ever since. When they proposed rehabilitation, she threw herself into the process head-on with the goal that she will be able to rise again. It wasn't easy. It took her months before she was finally able to walk again, and nearly a year later that she was able to pick up a sword and join her father on the battlefield once more. In the middle of a war, she would not receive that same treatment.

She closed her eyes and shifted uncomfortably in the bed. Now she feared what would happen once her legs swung over the bed and she tried to take her first step. Byleth was entirely lost in thought that she didn't even notice that Yuri was standing at the side of her bed.

"You're awake, friend. Did you sleep well?" Byleth opened her eyes and looked up to see the smallest smile on Yuri's lips. "There's someone I want you to meet." He stepped to the side as a young woman with light blue hair stepped forward.

"Hello, Byleth. I am Silque," she bowed her head respectfully. "I am happy to see you in good health."

"Hi," Byleth mumbled. "Thank you for your hospitality. I hope Yuri wasn't too much trouble for you."

"Oh, not at all!" Silque shook her head. "In fact, Yuri has been such a big help for the village down here close to Garreg Mach. Without him, I fear that this village would've fallen to ruin much faster."

"You're giving me too much credit, Silque," Yuri frowned at her words. "I was just doing what I thought to be right. Nothing more."

"I see that you're still modest as ever," Byleth teased him. She failed to see the faintest blush cover his cheeks.

"There's something we need to talk about, Byleth," Silque interrupted. "It's related to your back--"

"I've heard the two of you talking," Byleth looked at the both of them. She sighed, "It's the scar on my back that temporarily had my lower body in paralysis years ago. And since I fell off a cliff five years ago, you fear that my paralysis has returned and that it might be permanent."

Silque slowly nodded. "Of course, it's all just speculation. We won't know until you start walking."

Byleth threw her blankets off the bed and with all her strength, swung her legs over the edge. "There's no time like the present," she muttered under her breath. She took a deep breath as her feet met the cold wood and her body trembled as she tried to stand on her own two legs. 

"Wait, you shouldn't be exerting yourself too much--!"

The moment Byleth stood up she felt herself falling. Yuri quickly ran in front of her and caught Byleth in his arms. She made no effort to get back up as he gently maneuvered her back onto the bed. Byleth could only let out a defeated sigh as she shook her head. Her legs were rendered useless once more, and it was due to her own mistakes that she considered herself a failure once more. She looked down at her thighs.

"I… can barely feel anything," Byleth admitted. "My arms and torso I can move just fine, albeit weak because I haven't moved in so long. My legs… there's a tingling feeling, but it hurts to stand. It hurts to even move them."

She can feel their sympathetic gazes boring into her and she wanted nothing more than to hide away from the world. She refused to look either of them in the eye.

_Don't look at me that way. You'll only make me feel more useless than I already do. There is nothing you can do but watch as this useless body of mine tries to recover from my own mistakes once more._

"That's no good," she heard Silque sigh. "Even if we were to put you under rehabilitation, there are certain tools that we don't have that could help you tremendously. However…" Byleth heard her footsteps heading to the other side of the infirmary, Silque's voice dying off as she walked away. "The fact that there's still some feeling in your legs is a good sign. The paralysis isn't permanent."

Byleth felt the bed compress beneath her as Yuri sat next to her. He was close, their knees and shoulders touching. She felt him wrapping his hand around hers but Yuri never intertwined their fingers. His hand was warm as he had discarded his gloves for the time being.

"Hey friend," Yuri's voice was soft as his other hand rested on the small of her back. "I imagine you're quite overwhelmed right now, considering that this might have dug up some old memories."

"Painful memories," Byleth answered him. "The scar on my back will forever haunt me. It's a reminder of how naïve I was back then. I never wanted anyone to know about it."

"Whatever reasons you have for hiding such a huge scar, I won't pry. We all have secrets we would rather not share," Yuri reassured her. 

"Thank you," Byleth looked over at Yuri and flashed him a small smile. "In time, I will tell you the story behind my scar, but for now I want to focus on my rehabilitation."

"You shouldn't rush now, friend," Yuri nearly chastised her. "You just woke up from a long slumber. I think you should focus more on allowing your body to continue recovering naturally before we start your rehabilitation."

"The war waits for no one, Yuri," she said. "I'm not taking no for an answer. I need to start now before Edelgard starts making moves again on Garreg Mach."

"Garreg Mach is not in danger," Anger started to build up in Yuri. "It hasn't been since her invasion five years ago."

"You underestimate her," Byleth narrowed her eyes at him. "Edelgard has eyes everywhere. If she were to learn of my whereabouts, she will come after me. It doesn't matter what condition I'm in. She will try to make me come to her side, and I won't be able to fight back because my stupid legs won't allow me to move."

"She won't come for you," Yuri retorted.

"Oh? How can you be so certain about that?" Byleth challenged him.

He didn't get the chance to respond as Silque returned. They both looked over to the cleric when she cleared her throat. Her face was slightly flushed.

"I'm sorry, I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Silque apologized. "It's hard not to overhear your conversation when it's just the three of us here."

"Don't worry about it, Silque," Yuri told the cleric as he let go of Byleth's hand and stood up from the bed. Byleth tried to pretend that the loss of contact didn't affect her. "I imagine you have something to say regarding what we were talking about?"

"Indeed. While I understand your concern, Yuri, I think Byleth is in good condition to start the rehabilitation process. It won't be as strenuous on her as it was the first time."

Byleth perked up at Silque's words. A glimmer of hope presented itself before her.

"However, I still advise caution, Byleth," Silque warned her. "It will still take time for you to fully recover."

"I suppose if Silque is approving of this, I have no choice but to allow it," Yuri sighed in defeat. "I still think that this is a bad idea though."

"Think what you will," Byleth as she looked out the window. "I will be standing again before you know it. Have faith in me, Yuri."

Yuri looked at Byleth, lavender staring into verdant green. His eyes were full of concern whereas hers were filled with determination, pleading for him to place his trust in her once more. Who was Yuri to deny Byleth a chance to reclaim a simple freedom once more? He couldn't do that to her; not with how she said her words earnestly.

He gave in. "Fine, I'll believe in you, Byleth. I've believed in you for this long."

A genuine smile made its way onto Byleth's face. Knowing that he had placed his faith in her only drove Byleth to recover faster.

"You won't regret it."

***

Silque had given her a wooden wheelchair, which Byleth was very thankful for. While her legs were temporarily paralyzed, Byleth still desired to move in some way or another. Thankfully the wheelchair had been salvaged and proved to be a saving grace. Yuri helped her settle into the wheelchair and Byleth could only sigh in bliss.

"You know, I never thought I'd be happy to sit in one of these things again," Byleth said as Yuri stood behind her and helped push the wheelchair out of the infirmary. "I was worried that the infirmary wouldn't have one of these but it seems I underestimated the tools Silque has."

She breathed in the fresh air and let out a loud sigh. The sky was a bright blue with not a single cloud in sight. Byleth took in the condition of the village. Whatever damage that was inflicted on the buildings before were not noticeable anymore, having been repaired hastily. The village was lively with all the children running around and with the adults and elderly talking amongst themselves. It was a rare sight, considering the circumstances that Fodlan was engulfed in.

"Wonderful, isn't it?" Yuri asked as he stopped, allowing Byleth to take in the sights in front of her. "This village was hit hard in the first years of the war. My gang has scattered across Fodlan, helping other villages like this one flourish amid the flames of war. It's not much, but it's helping lift the spirits of the villagers."

"You've been kept rather busy while I've been gone," Byleth hummed as Yuri returned to pushing her wheelchair forward. "I imagine everyone from the Academy has been."

Yuri began to update her on the current status of both her students and Fodlan. The Black Eagles were all in Adrestia, save for Petra who returned to her homeland to rally support in Brigid. Ferdinand was stripped of his noble title while Linhardt, Caspar, and Bernadetta all relinquished their own titles and fled from their respective territories. They were currently hiding from the Imperial Army and helped Yuri's gang by providing any sort of relief to war orphans. Dorothea had been providing support at her old opera company, arranging a traveling troupe to help lift the heavy spirits of those directly affected by the war.

The Holy Kingdom of Faerghus was on the verge of collapse as the entire royal family had been wiped out. She imagined that the Blue Lions were trying their absolute best to fend off both Cordelia and the Imperial army's forces. The Leicester Alliance was suffering an internal conflict among its lords while displaying a neutral front. The Knights of Seiros had abandoned Garreg Mach in their search for both Rhea and her. It definitely explained the horrible condition that the once pristine monastery had been in, standing tall among the mountains and looking down at the masses surrounding it.

As for the Ashen Wolves…

"I haven't told them about you yet."

Byleth was baffled by his words.

"What do you mean you haven't told them about me yet?" She asked about the absurdity of his words.

"Exactly that. They don't know that I found you."

She whipped her head around to look at him. "Yuri, are you fucking serious?"

Oh, the look of anger that began to etch across her face would've been amusing had Yuri not felt guilty about not letting his closest friends know about their professor's return. He supposed he did owe them an explanation for his extended disappearances (Hapi was the first one to notice, as she always has been quite perceptive even after all those years), but a selfish part of him wanted time with Byleth before she was constantly being questioned by the other Ashen Wolves.

"Don't give me that look," Yuri narrowed his eyes at her instead, biting back the truth that was stuck in the back of his throat. "I'll tell them eventually, of course. But it'd be too overwhelming for them to come see you now, especially with your condition."

"I can't believe the words that are coming out of your mouth right now," Byleth let out an exasperated sigh. "It's not like they'll careen both me and my wheelchair into the ravine."

"Byleth, I think you underestimate the Ashen Wolves," He retorted. "Balthus would _definitely_ do that."

She sat there for a moment trying to defend the man but she could only shake her head, a small laugh escaping her lips. "Goddess, you're right," Byleth sputtered out almost hysterically. "Balthus _would_ do that."

The two of them missed this connection, bantering amongst themselves without the presence of others, stuck in their own little world. Byleth wished it wasn't in a war-torn village but instead in her room back at the monastery where they would talk for hours upon hours in the comfort of her room, accompanied by the moonlight filtering through her curtains. She supposed a small stroll in the village would have to suffice for now.

Her modest infirmary gown stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the bright pastels of villager apparel. The people were even more intrigued to see her in a wheelchair of all things, the children peeking over their shoulders every few seconds only to look away as if they weren't staring at her intensely. If there was one thing Byleth didn't miss about rehabilitation, it was the constant looks of sympathy that others would give her when they saw her in the wheelchair. The condescending stares as they loomed over her, standing proud on their two legs while hers couldn't even keep her standing upright for a second.

Almost as if he could sense her spiraling, Yuri set a hand on her shoulder. Byleth was immediately pulled away from her thoughts as she looked up to see lavender eyes filled with concern.

"Sorry," Byleth mumbled. "I don't like it when people look at me this way. Like I'm some sort of… abnormality, sitting in this wheelchair because I simply can't stand. I want to be admired instead. Admired as I'm swinging my sword at a formidable foe. That's the look I'm used to."

"People will always look at us differently in different situations," Yuri told her. "It all comes down to how you allow those looks to affect you."

"That's easy for you to say," Byleth shook her head. "I remember their whispers even now. How much of a fool I was to let my guard down, allowing a mere bandit to render me useless. How they all looked down at me as I couldn't even fight back against their words. I wanted to prove them wrong, and that's why I went through rehabilitation. I never wanted to feel powerless ever again."

Yuri wanted her to reflect on her words. He never saw her as powerless or weak, even in moments when she depended on her allies on the battlefield. Had the life of a mercenary, wandering as the Ashen Demon for so long, never made others want to look beneath the layers of Byleth and realize that she was human too? That, despite the poker face she displayed so many times both on and off the battlefield, Byleth was only an emotionless puppet?

The thought made Yuri's blood boil. It angered him to think that no one was willing to put in the effort to break down her walls. No one was willing to look beneath her rough and stoic exterior to know the vulnerable woman beneath. No one was willing to think that she was capable of feeling or that she was capable of expressing herself. He was the only one willing to know; the only one brave enough to prod at her walls. To think that no one else had the guts to know Byleth like he knew her. Such thoughts rendered him speechless; damn whatever Gods were out there that made him suffer so. 

He didn't even notice that their stroll had abruptly come to an end, landing themselves outside of the infirmary. Yuri let go of the handles of Byleth's wheelchair as the door to the infirmary opened. Silque stepped outside and nodded at Yuri in understanding. He stepped back as Silque stood behind Byleth and pushed her back into the infirmary with a silent Yuri in tow.

Byleth pondered his silence. Had it been something she said?

***

It had been two months since Byleth began her rehabilitation. She went from traveling around in a wheelchair to upgrading to a wooden crutch. She felt herself gaining strength in her lower body once more, her body able to hold itself upright with the help of her crutch. It kept her balanced and grounded, and because she was able to walk for a bit Byleth didn't feel as powerless anymore. Of course, she couldn't walk for two long, only being able to walk for an hour at best before she has to be situated into her wheelchair for the rest of the day.

Yuri had been there with her every day, watching her make progress. Until one morning he wasn't there at all; Silque being the only one present in the infirmary. Byleth thought nothing of it, thinking that he would come later if he wasn't there now. Her routine had changed as she was beginning to walk again, being able to walk to the table without needing Yuri or Silque's guidance.

She would wobble a bit from time to time if only to become more accustomed to her crutch. Healing was not an easy process, dammit, but she was going to heal soon enough so she could kick some ass. Byleth sat down at the table as Silque placed some oatmeal and several slices of apples in front of her. A simple breakfast, but enough to nourish her body considering how the war didn't allow for such luxurious meals. It reminded her of how meals used to be during her mercenary days; days that almost seemed too far away in the past to even seem real to Byleth anymore. She could only remember her time at the monastery.

It's quiet in the infirmary without the company of Yuri. She's grown so accustomed to having him at her side that she practically felt naked without Yuri next to her. She's appreciative of how Yuri has been so patient with her, staying by her side as he's watching her try to regain her grounding once more. Her rehabilitation was more bearing thanks to him and Silque. Byleth was nearly done with her oatmeal and apple slices until she heard voices outside the infirmary door.

"You better have a good reason for dragging me out of Abyss today."

"Even I am rather surprised at your proposition, Yuri. I must be rather fortunate to be invited by you, as worthless as I am."

"Geez, Constance. You really need to lighten up a bit."

Byleth's eyes widened at the familiar voices.

"I'm sure the three of you will love what I'm about to show you," Yuri's voice is muffled from the other side of the door. She can practically see the Cheshire grin on his face. "Trust me, I wouldn't drag the three of you out of Abyss if it didn't have any value."

The door opened and she watched as Yuri walked in with the other Ashen Wolves in tow.

"Oh? And what could possibly--" Hapi was the first one to walk in. Their eyes immediately met and she let out a gasp, looking back at Yuri before returning her attention to Byleth. "No way-- Chatterbox!?"

"Hapi, don't say our professor's name like that…" Now that Constance was inside away from the sunlight, her mouth was wide open as her eyes landed upon Byleth as well. She looked from Byleth to Yuri and back to Byleth multiple times, words not being able to form properly. Balthus let out a resounding laugh.

"Now that is a face I haven't seen in awhile!" Balthus nearly shouted. "What a pleasant surprise!"

"Professor!" Constance said with joy. "It's been so long! Where have you been all these years? Have you been hiding away in this village all this time?"

"Wow, I'm surprised you're not dead," Hapi smiled at Byleth once she regained her composure from the initial shock. "Turns out you've been alive all this time. Though a part of me has always believed that you were still around here somewhere."

They all began to surround Byleth, the pure joy on their faces enough to make Byleth smile. She tried her best not to be overwhelmed by their prodding questions. She didn't notice that Yuri made his way behind her and almost reflexively brought her fist up when he placed a hand on her shoulder. His fingers wrapped around her wrist before her knuckles could meet his chin.

"Careful there!" Yuri jeered at Byleth with a playful smile. "You wouldn't want to ruin my perfect face now, right?"

"Yuri-bird, is this why you've been leaving Abyss for longer periods of time?" The two of them looked at Hapi. "Because Chatterbox has been in this village?"

"Ah! So that explains it!" Constance said as if she had made the discovery of the century. "Our dear leader has been coming down to provide aid and comfort to our former professor. How very kind of him, considering how much of a brute he can be sometimes."

"Hey, I think you're confusing me with Balthus," Yuri retorted her words. "I am not a brute. In fact, I am a beautiful man who gets the job no matter what."

"Boss, you literally knocked two men unconscious the other night," Balthus was bewildered by Yuri's words. "And then you proceeded to parade them around on the coliseum with bags on their heads as they were publicly tortured. Man! I can still feel that feather tickling my skin."

"It's called teaching them a lesson," Yuri sneered, smirking mischievously at the memory. "Needless to say that they won't be crossing me again."

As they were bantering amongst themselves, Byleth took a few moments to fully take in the new appearances of the Ashen Wolves. She noticed immediately that all of them grew their hair out. She wondered if they all signed a pact to do it together. They were no longer wearing the makeshift monastery uniforms that Aelfric originally provided them and instead donned outfits befitting of their respective classes. All of them had aged considerably well in the five years she has disappeared. She wondered how everyone else looked.

"I'm curious though," Balthus spoke up as he looked around the infirmary. "Why is our professor here of all places? If she's been awake for a while now, wouldn't she have made her way to Abyss?"

Byleth and Yuri looked at each other, a wave of understanding washing over the both of them. The former reached for her crutch and allowed Yuri to help her stand. She nearly toppled over to the side but quickly maintained her balance as Yuri positioned her upright. His hand rested on the small of her back.

"Professor, what's with the crutch?" Constance's eyes widened at the sight. 

Byleth looked at the other Ashen Wolves with a pained smile. "I can't walk," she simply said; no strings attached, no beating around the bush. "I'm temporarily paralyzed from the waist down."

"What?" Balthus had a look of pure shock on his face. "How did such a thing happen in the first place?"

"That… is rather complicated," Byleth bit her bottom lip anxiously. "It includes a history of mine that I rather not disclose. Let's just say that this isn't the first time this has happened."

"This isn't the first time!?" Constance yelled in exasperation. "Professor, I'm in utter shock! How dare you not tell us such a thing? I had thought you placed a bit more trust in us, especially after everything we've been through."

"She must not want to open up about her past," Hapi shook her head at the former Nuvelle heir. "I don't think it's a matter of trust. I think it's a matter of how willing she was to become so vulnerable in front of others."

"The least we can do for Byleth is help her during the rehabilitation process," Yuri cut in. "As you said earlier, Constance and Hapi, I have been coming here to help our dear professor. She's made some steady progress, of course, but now that she's on the path to walking again, Silque and I could use a few more hands."

"Come now, Yuri, you really think that I could refuse to help our professor?" Constance narrowed her eyes with a dangerous glimmer as she threw her head back, letting out a boisterous laugh. "I, Constance von Nuvelle, shall do my best in helping our dearest professor stand on her own two feet again!"

"After everything Chatterbox has done for us, how can I say no?" Hapi inquired with a small smile on her face.

"Aw, hell yeah! Things are starting to look up for all of us!" Balthus's voice almost echoed throughout the infirmary. "Just you wait, Byleth. You're going to be running around on those two legs of yours again in no time."

Byleth laughed nervously at his words and looked back at Yuri with a concerned look on her face. She nearly scowled as he only flashed her what seemed to be a shit-eating grin, shrugging before reaching over and finishing her last apple slice.

"You'll be fine, don't worry!" Yuri's voice nearly went up an octave at the lie, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Byleth was absolutely confounded that he was practically handing her over to their friends as if she was some sort of potato sack. As the other Ashen Wolves talked amongst themselves, Byleth reached over for Yuri's shirt with her free hand and roughly tugged him down to her height. She leaned in close enough so that only Yuri could hear her.

"If I end up dying because of them," Byleth's voice edged a threat, her tone dangerous, "I'm coming back to haunt you. And you'll certainly regret it, Yuri. That pretty face of yours will meet my wrath."

Yuri almost wanted to lean in and kiss the scowl off her face. Instead, he smirked and grunted out, "Noted, Byleth."

***

Silque had finally granted Byleth the go ahead with sword training. She was four months into her rehabilitation, and by the end of the Red Wolf Moon Byleth was able to walk without the help of her crutch. Since then she had been running errands with Hapi and Constance at the village marketplace, or helping Balthus carry out some heavy-lifting tasks that the elderly assigned him (Byleth acted more as emotional support than anything).

She couldn't hide the pure joy on her face as Byleth carried two wooden training swords in her arms. She looked around the village, trying to spot a certain lavender-haired male. Instead, she became distracted by a melodic voice singing out not far from the ravine. Byleth found herself moving on her accord as she became entranced by the voice. It didn't take her long to find the man she was looking for.

Yuri's back was turned to her as he sat on a rock close to the edge of the ravine. Several of the village's children were playing in the ravine or doing laundry, but it seemed to mainly be the former. In front of Yuri sat a little girl, and Byleth watched as his fingers began to weave the girl's hair into a large braid.

" _How the crimson rain of pain it came, falling hard upon a land aflame. When the sacred blade it split the sky, until the heavens heard our cry…_ " Yuri's voice never wavered, loud and clear for all the children to hear. As he was finishing up the girl's braid, his fingers reached for the rubber band that was around his wrist. " _In the hour of vengeance, will you heed the call? On the red fields of revenge, will you help avenge? We must fight strong and stand tall!_ "

The little girl squirmed as he finished her braid, and she tilted her head back to look at Yuri. "That song sounds sad, Yuri," the little girl frowned at him. "What's it about?"

"I'm sure you've heard of it before, little bird. It's from an opera documenting the fight between Saint Seiros and the King of Liberation, Nemesis," Yuri educated her as he helped the little girl stand up. "It was one of the Mittelfrank Opera Company's biggest hits."

"That opera company all the way in Enbarr?" She let out a gasp of surprise, her eyes widening like saucers. "Wow, Yuri, it's like you've been all over Fodlan! I wish that one day I can travel all over and be able to tell stories like you." 

Byleth didn't miss the flash of pain in Yuri's eyes as he forced a smile. "Yeah, well… the only thing you can do is pray to the Goddess and hope that you will be able to do so, little bird." They watched as the little girl thanked him for the braid before she ran into the ravine to join her friends.

She slowly made her way up to Yuri. "Hey there," Byleth smiled at him. "I've been looking for you."

"Have you?" Yuri turned to face her. "You seemed rather entranced by that song I was singing just now."

"I didn't mean to intrude," Byleth tried to defend herself. She had overheard a conversation between him and Dorothea back at the academy five years ago; Yuri absolutely hated to sing in public, let alone have others close to him hear his singing. "I had only meant to--"

She paused as Yuri walked towards her and brought a hand up to her chin. Yuri gently tilted her head up to look at him, an unreadable expression on his face. He then moved his hand to cup her cheek.

"No need to defend yourself, friend," Yuri reassured her as his thumb drew tiny circles on her cheek. Byleth felt her face warming up. "I wouldn't mind singing… with the condition that you're the only one there to hear me."

Byleth knew that she looked like a tomato just about now. "I-I just wanted to see if you would spar with me," she squeaked out. She wanted to look away but could only find herself getting lost in that lavender gaze of his; and Byleth knew right then and there that there were no strings attached to his words. Sothis have mercy, Byleth just wanted to lean in and feel his smile against her lips.

Yuri chuckled at her reaction. "There you go being cute again, all because of what I said," He teased her, but she could tell that it wasn't superficial. "I meant it all those years ago when I said your face is cute this color. I should tease you more often if it means I get to see you all flustered like this."

Byleth felt like she was going to implode. Not knowing how to react, she pulled back and shoved the training sword flat against his chest, looking away in embarrassment. "You know, if you really want to see my face all flushed, you could indulge me in a sparring match," Byleth mumbled loud enough for him to hear; only after the sentence left her lips did she realize how suggestive her request sounded.

Instead of teasing, Yuri flashed her a smirk that sent a shiver down her spine; it didn't go unnoticed by the Trickster. "Who am I to refuse such a request?"

They moved to an area close to where the stables were. Constance, Hapi, and Balthus were awaiting them as they were curious to see how a match between their boss and Professor would turn out. The two of them stood on opposing sides of their fenced arena, getting into position. "Now remember, no playing dirty!" Balthus shouted at them. They all began to cheer, and it all became white noise as Yuri and Byleth were thrown into their sparring match.

She remembered the last time they truly sparred; a match where she was completely driven by her rage and nearly choked Yuri to death. This time, however, would be different. They were completely entranced by each other, their swords clashing and their movements fluid as if they were dancing. The world around them began to disappear as they put all their being into the match, not letting up. Byleth noticed that Yuri's fighting style had stayed relatively the same over the past five years; unlike her, he relied on his speed instead of his strength to take care of enemies.

She had been riled up from embarrassment, driven to see Yuri give himself up to her. As Byleth swung her sword forward, Yuri nearly stumbled back and she saw victory present itself before. She ran up to him and unleashed a series of swift strikes aimed for his chest, Yuri's training sword blocking every attack. Byleth let out a loud battle cry before she unleashed all her strength into one last strike, causing his sword to shatter from the impact. It was only a matter of seconds before Yuri was laying on the dirt.

Byleth hovered over him, straddling his waist as she tilted the edge of her training sword into his neck, forcing Yuri to look up at her. "Yield," she choked out, her chest heaving from exerting all her strength. Byleth saw the blown out look in his eyes, lavender hardening into amethyst. His face was flushed as beads of sweat rolled down his neck, and the eyeshadow that accentuated his eyes had all but faded away during their sparring match. An unfamiliar heat began to swirl in her lower abdomen.

"I… I yield," Yuri finally gave in, a small smirk on his face as he let Byleth take the win. The moment the words left his mouth, Byleth suddenly became aware of the loud cries and cheers that surrounded them. She looked away from Yuri to see that they had attracted a crowd. Many of the children and adults were impressed by the show, with the Ashen Wolves nearly going insane at the results. She noticed how Balthus had his head hung low as Hapi gently pat him on the back. More than likely he had bet that Yuri would win against her; oh how simple Balthus was, not putting enough faith in her like his boss did.

Realizing the position that they were in, Byleth immediately tore herself away from Yuri, remembering to have some decency before helping him up. She nodded at him as the cheers wouldn't let up. "Thank you," Byleth said with a small smile on her face. "I really needed that."

Already, Byleth found herself ignoring the world around them as she focused all her efforts on Yuri. He let out a small laugh before he leaned in close enough only for her to hear what he had to say. "You were right," Yuri's voice was deep, an edge of husk nearly dripping from his words. "I think I would prefer to see your face flushed like this."

Byleth could only stand there in shock, her legs incapable of moving as Yuri pulled away, winking at her before he made his exit. She was in a complete daze before many of the village children came running up to her, begging for her tutelage in the sword arts. She bit her lip as the heat continued to pool in her lower abdomen, her mind completely off in another universe as Yuri's words continued to plague her.

If her heart were to beat, she was sure it would've exploded from the rush of emotions she felt. Love and desire were truly a pair of demons hoping to make her give in to her true feelings.

***

After five months, Byleth had completed her rehabilitation. She was back to walking again like normal, no longer needing a crutch to keep herself upright. Never in her life had she been so happy to fight again, so grateful that the goddess had granted her mercy that she would be able to walk the land again.

The day of the Millennium festival arrived, and while there was no grand festival to be held at Garreg Mach, the village inhabitants tried their best to hold small festivities, mainly to entertain the children. Byleth could only watch in awe as a huge bonfire was lit up in the middle of the village, people singing prayers and hymns related to the Goddess. She found it odd that despite a war raging on, the village close to Garreg Mach was finding ways to lift the spirits of the less fortunate. Such a sight would have not been possible if Yuri did not take the initiative to help them.

"Not wanting to engage in the festivities?" Yuri tore her away from her thoughts. He stood next to her as he looked out to the bonfire. 

"It's not that," Byleth murmured. "It's quiet over here. I'm able to just think and… allow my mind to run wild."

She flinched as Yuri flicked her temple. "You have a dangerous habit of letting that beautiful mind of yours run of its own accord," He clicked his tongue. "Care to at least indulge me with your thoughts?"

Byleth turned her head to look at him. "I've just been thinking about how lively this village is. It's all because of you that this is taking place. It makes me think of Garreg Mach… if the war hadn't taken place, these villagers would've been able to enjoy the festivities there. Instead, the monastery has been abandoned. The goddess had left them in the dark."

Yuri hummed at her words. "You know, I haven't been able to touch the monastery because of the amount of thieves present," He brought his voice down to a whisper. "I've been thinking for some time that you might be itching for a real battle." Byleth felt something being pushed into her arms, and she looked down to see Yuri handing her the Sword of the Creator and her Enlightened One outfit. She looked back at Yuri with a mischievous grin on her face.

"Get changed," He said hurriedly. "Meet me by the entrance of the village once you're ready. And make sure no one else notices you leaving. That includes the Ashen Wolves and Silque."

Never in her life had Byleth prepared for battle so quickly, slipping into her Enlightened One garb with the Sword of the Creator attached to her waist. She looked herself in the mirror and became acutely aware that, finally, the Byleth who had disappeared all those years ago was back. She carefully made her way past the villagers as she made it to the village entrance, Yuri leaning against a wooden pole patiently.

His eyes perked up. "Now that's an outfit I'll never get tired of seeing," Yuri admitted as they followed the dirt path leading to the entrance of Garreg Mach. "I must say, it gives me hope, knowing that you will be able to accompany us on the battlefield again."

"It takes a lot for me to go down," Byleth said with confidence as she held the Sword of the Creator in her hand, the blade glowing a familiar red. She looked over and noticed that Yuri had brought the Fetters of Dromi, the relic slipping onto his hand like a glove. Truly, it was meant for him.

When they reached Garreg Mach, they began to hear voices not far from where they stood. The two of them rushed over to a wall, hiding themselves from their enemies. As Byleth crouched down, Yuri peeked his head over the edge of the wall. He looked back down at Byleth and flashed her four fingers followed by two fingers.

Forty-two bandits were present in the maze of dilapidated buildings and walls. If they came in big numbers, it was clear that they were returning from collecting loot. It was more than likely that they were carrying treasure on them. Byleth looked around and quickly made her way to the next wall, concealing herself from the enemy. Immediately, her eyes saw wooden crates stacked upon one another about five feet away from her. At the foot of the boxes, a broken gas lamp was laid across the floor. She looked at Yuri and tilted her head in that general direction, hoping he would understand her plan.

Yuri smirked in understanding. Byleth brought her hand up, muttering a fire spell underneath her breath before flicking her wrist towards the crates. The result was immediate as the fire reacted with the oil, and a loud explosion rang throughout the dead of the night. Smoke began to fill the area as the bandits began to yell at the sudden intrusion.

"Now things are starting to get interesting!" Yuri shouted. He unsheathed his silver sword. "Ready to deal with some bandits, friend?"

She readied the Sword of the Creator, a fire igniting deep within her chest. "As ready as I'll ever be," Byleth said before she broke off into a run, Yuri following after her.

It was a brutal battle. The thieves were not prepared for an ambush from two unknown figures in the dead of the night. However, where they lacked in preparation they made up with numbers, and the remaining thieves did their best to overwhelm Yuri and Byleth. A small group of thieves and their battalions surrounded the duo. Byleth and Yuri stood back-to-back from each other, both of them gasping for air as they held up their blades in defense.

"Well, this certainly doesn't look good," Yuri joked as he swung his sword at a sniper, killing them in one shot. Both of their swords were covered in blood, which splattered onto their outfits and skin.

"Giving up now?" Byleth laughed in amusement. "As if we would allow such lowly thieves to get the best of us."

In the distance, Byleth heard new voices shout into the fray, and she grit her teeth. Despite the front she displayed, Byleth knew a losing battle when she saw one. One wrong move and the both of them could lose their lives. However, a glimmer of hope presented itself before her as she saw a meteor coming right at them; but it wasn't aimed for them. No, it was aimed at the bandits making their way towards them. The thieves that surrounded them stepped back in confusion before a flurry of arrows began to rain down upon them.

The bandits all fell to the ground. Byleth and Yuri looked around for their potential allies before a voice called out to them.

"Professor! Yuri!" They looked to see Dorothea running at them with Caspar, Bernadetta, and Petra in tow. "My, what a reunion this must be! How careless of you two to run into a battle like that."

"Hey, you could've at least waited for us to show up!" Caspar shook his head. "I've been waiting to throw some punches."

"Seriously, you guys are incredibly reckless. Must the two of you be covered in blood like that?" Byleth found herself being engulfed in a familiar blue glow, the wounds she sustained during the course of the battle disappearing. Linhardt and Ferdinand appeared right behind them as the former began to tend to their wounds.

"Hey, when you're engaging in a tough battle, you don't think about how much blood you've spilled," Yuri retorted. "In fact, this battle is far from over."

Byleth felt herself being overwhelmed with a wave of emotions. "My Eagles," she choked out as her eyes began to water. "How happy I am to see all of you again. I would like to catch up, but we must deal with these bandits first. Please, lend us your strength, so that we may break the chains confining Garreg Mach to these bandits."

Her former students could only nod at her before they threw themselves into the battle alongside her and Yuri.

The sun had begun to rise over the mountains as the battle came to a close. Byleth had dealt the final blow to the bandit leader, and she could only let out a loud cry of victory as her Eagles joined in. They had reclaimed Garreg Mach, breaking her free from the chains of the wicked and returning her to its former glory, the monastery standing proud as the sun began to shine over them. As her former students began to celebrate her victory, Byleth walked over to Yuri. Before he could say a word, she placed a kiss on his cheek.

Yuri certainly wasn't expecting that. His eyes widened at the contact and he pulled back, flashing Byleth a concerned look. "What was that for?" He asked, rather confused by her actions.

Byleth smiled at him. "Think of it as a reward," she simply said. "A reward for allowing me to take flight once more, and allowing me to indulge in this battle with you."

"I don't think I deserve a reward for that," Yuri frowned at her words. "I helped you because it was the right thing to do, nothing more."

"There you go, acting all modest again," Byleth let out a small laugh. "Well, in any case, I'm grateful for the amount of care and patience you have given me. Unless… you would've preferred a kiss on the lips instead?"

Yuri froze at her words, unsure how to respond. He felt his face heating up as she let out a resounding laugh, kneeling over at her own joke.

"Oh, that look on your face! I don't think I've ever seen you so flustered before. Maybe I should be the one teasing you more."

Ah, of course. It was nothing but a playful joke. Yuri narrowed his eyes at Byleth as she turned her back to him, returning her attention to her Eagles.

'You're rather cruel, Byleth. Tugging at my heartstrings as if I already can't get enough of you,' Yuri thought to himself. Unbeknownst to her, his heart was beating out of his chest; a selfish part deep within his core wished that she wasn't teasing and instead would indulge him with a kiss. A small smile tugged at his lips. 'I'll just have to steal a kiss from you myself.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So originally this story was supposed to only be two parts... Then my mind spun out of control and now it's six parts. More Yuri content for everyone!
> 
> Thank you so much for all the kudos, bookmarks, and comments! It makes me so happy to know that so many people enjoy my writing. It motivates me to keep going. I diverged a lot from the canon story in this chapter, but I'm happy with the outcome and I hope you guys enjoyed it too. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be published, but rest assured that I am currently working on it right now. 
> 
> Also, in case I caused any confusion, Byleth was found at the end of the Garland Moon. She began her rehabilitation shortly after she woke up and finally completed it at the end of the Red Wolf Moon shortly before the Millennium festival.
> 
> Also also, I know that realistically rehabilitation wouldn't have been that short but shhhh plot :)


	3. can't escape from crossing fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A large scar ranging from below her left shoulder to her lower back was angled diagonally. It looked to have healed in the years from when it was originally inflicted, but it stuck out so much that Yuri couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight in front of him. He slowly brought a hand up to the scar and watched as a shiver racked Byleth's entire body. His hands were cold against her warm skin.
> 
> It became clear what silent question Byleth was asking him.
> 
> _Would you risk everything to kill me?_
> 
> Yuri shook his head. "No…" He said quietly at first. "No, I would never do such a thing. To you, of all people Byleth."

In a matter of weeks the Knights of Seiros returned to the monastery, Seteth became Byleth's right-hand man, and she's immediately appointed the general of the Resistance Army. It's all overwhelming and Byleth barely has a moment to catch her breath before she's pulled back into preparations and war councils and is constantly followed by a persistent Seteth who insists, time and again, it is imperative ABC is taken care of before XYZ. She knew that Rhea had left her in charge of her legacy, but Byleth really wondered if she was made for this; if she was strong enough to fully command her former students into battle. War was a brutal thing; all of her allies could die under her command in an instant, and the thought haunted her.

She's in her room, rummaging through the different documents that Seteth dumped on her that week. Byleth let out an irritated growl as one of her hands was bunched up tightly in her hair, her dominant hand held a quill as the tip skimmed the page. She was absolutely exhausted. Each night before she went to bed, her mind always wandered off to the things she wasn't able to complete, and it caused her to think about the lecture she would receive from Seteth the next morning. It was tiring enough as is to carry the routine of waking up, eating breakfast, going to the war council, meetings with Seteth, training, skipping a meal or two, reading a few documents, going to bed, repeat. What Byleth needed was a break.

There's a knock on her door and she purposely ignores it, hoping that whoever decided to stop by would take a hint and not bother her for another hour or so. Just when she thought they walked away, there's another knock and at that point Byleth knew she couldn't ignore the imminent lecture that awaited her outside.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Byleth yelled loud enough for the person on the other side to hear. She made sure she looked somewhat decent before she made her way to her door. "Seriously, Seteth, I thought I already told you that preparations for Ailell are--" She paused as the person outside her door was not Seteth. She made eye contact with lavender instead of the green that mirrored hers albeit more strict and hard-headed. "Ah, Yuri… My apologies," Byleth said sheepishly as she tucked some hairs behind her ear. "I thought you were Seteth for a moment."

"I see he's working you into the ground," Yuri clicked his tongue at her words. "You look like a fucking mess. When's the last time you actually took a break, friend?"

Byleth spaced out for a moment, the Imperial calendar appearing in her mind as she tried to think about the last time she just took a moment to breathe. Everything seemed to have been going well until they defended Garreg Mach from the Imperial Army the moon before. Afterwards, things started to spiral out of control. She looked up at him and said bluntly, "I don't know." A moment later a familiar smell filled her nostrils and she tilted her head up to confirm her suspicions. "Hey, is that…?"

"Took you long enough to notice," Yuri chuckled as he pulled a tray from behind his back. There was a roll of bread along with one of Byleth's favorite dishes, Daphnel stew. "Don't think I haven't noticed you skipping meals lately. As our general, it's important that you have all your strength."

Byleth smiled weakly at him as she took the tray out of his hands, looking down at the food fondly. "It's not like I mean to. Sometimes I just lose track of time, and before I know it, the dining hall is closed," she mumbled. "Why do I feel like we've had this conversation before?"

"It's because we have," Yuri shook his head. "I remember very clearly that you collapsed a few days before Edelgard's invasion five years ago. I'm just making sure that you're actually taking care of yourself, especially since you're thrown into a higher position than most of us."

"Well, thank you, Yuri," Byleth nodded at him. Yuri had taken the liberty of making sure that she was taking care of herself. He had done so for her time and again: during their academy days, her rehabilitation, and now in the midst of the war. In fact, it nearly reminded her of a mother constantly looking after her children. A small laugh escaped her lips, which didn't go unnoticed by him. "Sorry, sorry," She bit the inside of her cheek. "You just remind me of a mother is all. Regardless, I appreciate that you're taking time out of your day to make sure I'm taking care of myself. It means a lot to me."

"I figured you needed a distraction," Yuri smiled at her. "You're important to all of us, after all. It would do us no good if you went and died on us."

Byleth hummed at his words. "Hey… would you mind staying for a while?" She asked in earnest, watching as Yuri looked at her with confusion. "If you're not busy, I would appreciate your company. A distraction, like you said."

He took a moment to process her words before she saw his eyes harden to amethyst, and Byleth couldn't help but think of their sparring match from a few moons back; and suddenly, she could only find herself fixated at the way he looked at her. "An invitation to the former professor's room? How can I resist such an invite?" Yuri smirked at Byleth, a teasing edge to his words.

It took all of her willpower to take his words in stride. She cleared her throat, hoping that she wasn't staring at him for too long. Byleth looked away sheepishly, stepping to the side to let him in. "As if you haven't been in here before," she rolled her eyes. "You're making it sound as if I'm inviting you here to take me to bed or something."

If there was a knowing look in Yuri's eyes, she willingly ignored it. He stepped into her room, not taking his eyes off of Byleth while she tried her best to look away from him. Internally, Byleth was screaming at herself for allowing such words to slip from her tongue; if she had horrible habits, that was one of them. It's never her intention to make suggestive comments or requests; let alone around Yuri of all people, who was notorious for doing such a thing in the first place.

'Sothis, why must you curse me so?' 

She let out a sigh before closing the door behind him, taking note of the knowing laugh that rang throughout her mind.

***

Like many of her students, Ashe had matured considerably over the course of half a decade; having been thrown into a war at a young age made one contemplate the path they had to follow. Byleth knew that when they were ambushed at Ailell, she should've killed him. She should've brought her sword down and passed judgment, making it a swift death. However, a selfish part of her made Byleth realize that his death would only add to the growing guilt that built up in her heart.

She remembered the shocked look on his face when she withdrew her sword and instead reached her hand out to him. Ashe had always followed the path of righteousness, influenced by the tales of brave and peerless Faerghus knights through the course of history. Byleth knew that in war, people always had a reason to fight. For Ashe, she knew it was so he could protect his younger siblings. She couldn't imagine how his siblings would've reacted knowing that the only one they have grown to rely on died by her hand. Byleth wouldn't allow it.

She had been scolded by a man in her battalion that claimed that she had grown too soft since her disappearance. He spat at her and got up in her face and yelled that she was no longer the Ashen Demon. He implored Byleth to kill Ashe because sparing him would only result in more heartache. Byleth remembered how her army could only stare at the scene before them.

"Tell me, do you have a family to take care of?" She asked him politely, sheathing the Sword of the Creator. "Do you have a purpose for fighting in this war? Are there people relying on you to come home?"

"Why, of course I do!" The man replied. "I have a wife and two daughters that are waiting for me to return."

"Are you, perhaps, the only source of income?"

She saw him visibly falter. "I am, but--"

"Tell me, how do you think your wife and daughters would feel getting the message from us that you have fought valiantly for this cause, and that you went down fighting? Tell me, do you think that is how you want your family to remember you? When was the last time you saw them?" Byleth nearly hissed at him as anger bubbled up in her chest. She didn't give him a moment to respond as she turned sharply on her heel. "I spared Ashe's life because he has two younger siblings that are waiting for him. I will spare as many lives as I need to during this war. And in the end, if that comes back to bite me in the ass, then so be it. I feel that this war doesn't need anymore needless bloodshed; that's why I am fighting this war."

She quickly walked away before she heard any more nonsense coming out of his mouth. Maybe it was just the extreme heat but Byleth was pretty worked up. She had never truly expressed her anger before in front of anyone; perhaps, in a way, that man was right. She was growing softer, but at the cost of feeling more human than before.

Byleth had also done the same for Lorenz when they laid siege on the Great Bridge of Myriddin. She had also known that the Gloucester heir was very insistent on carrying out his duties as a noble. She realized early on that he was put in a precarious situation; while House Gloucester rallied Imperial troops, it was all to prevent those troops from further invading the Alliance when it was already on the verge of collapse. Lorenz had been forced into that duty, to not only protect his honor but his homeland as well.

She saw no reason to strike him down when he was a slave to the war just like everyone else.

The two of them were having tea in the courtyard. She's procured several snacks and pastries that go well with one of Lorenz's favorite tea, Bergamot. It's quiet at first when she poured the tea into both of their cups, and they take their first sip, allowing the moment of stillness to wash over them like a wave.

"I must say, professor, I didn't expect you to invite me to tea," Lorenz admitted after a moment, setting his tea cup down. "With the war raging on, I understand the hostility that many have shown towards me. I'm not blind, after all. I temporarily became a dog of the Empire, along with my father."

"That was in the past, Lorenz. You're a valued ally in this army now," Byleth told him as she crossed one of her legs over the other, leaning back in her chair. "Tell me, are you grateful that I spared your life?"

"More than words can express, professor," He nodded at her. "However, I hear whispers from some of the members of your army. When you first spared Ashe, it attracted much attention. But it was a different story once you spared me at the Great Bridge of Myriddin. Many know that my father has been supporting the Imperial Army for the past five years. There are rumors that you are secretly working for Edelgard, sparing the lives of your students before bringing them to her for their execution." Lorenz frowned. "Professor, there are people in your army who are questioning your loyalty. Does that not concern you?"

Byleth looked down at her tea, her hands wrapped around her cup loosely. She can see her reflection in her tea, looking back at her with a scrutinizing gaze. "I've endured a lot of rumors throughout the years, Lorenz. It's not the first time that people have questioned my loyalties to others, especially when I was working as a mercenary," Byleth told him, resisting the urge to grimace at her former line of work. "To hear others question if I'm working with Edelgard or not… there is only one possible answer."

"And that might be?"

She looked up at Lorenz. "If I wanted to be on Edelgard's side, I would have protected her from Rhea during her assault at the Holy Tomb five years ago. However, I chose not to. I chose to stand by Rhea, and to protect my students from Edelgard."

"Forgive me for asking but… do you ever regret choosing to side with Rhea?" Lorenz narrowed his eyes at her with worry, a small frown on his face.

Byleth took a moment to process his words, wondering how she wanted to formulate her answer. She wondered how many nights she spent waking up in a cold sweat, constantly questioning if she had made the right decision. Byleth wasn't used to making her own decisions. Coming to Garreg Mach taught her a sense of independence, but not in a way she could mentally swallow. There was only so much that turning back time could do. There were some things that were meant to happen, following its course of action.

"No," Byleth finally answered him, firmly and with confidence. "I don't regret siding with Rhea."

"I see," Lorenz nodded at her words. "I've never taken you as an entirely ambitious being before. I regret not being part of your class all those years ago, professor. I've seen that your tutelage is what has made the Black Eagles have such a strong bond. I wish I could say the same of the other houses. Our allegiances are tightly bound to our homelands. But in the end, that came at a price."

They both looked down at their tea cups. A few days before their meeting, Byleth had been informed that Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude had engaged in a brutal battle on Gronder Field. Reports indicated that all of them had sustained heavy injuries; however, Dimitri had lost his life in the assault and Claude was reported as missing. Her hands tightened around her cup, her knuckles turning white. To think that five years ago they were all engaging in a frivolous tradition -- the three house leaders promising to maintain peace between their factions -- only to be thrown into a war with the possibility that they could all lose their lives.

"I've been thinking about returning to Gloucester territory," Lorenz spoke up. "With Claude missing, the Alliance is thrown into disarray. My father will most likely need my help with the affairs concerning the Roundtable Conference. It's a most perilous situation, with our leader disappearing when the Alliance could crumble at any moment."

"That's understandable," Byleth commended him. "You remind me so much of Ferdinand in a way, Lorenz. The two of you are very devoted to the duties that have been laid before you. Even if the two of you have mellowed out over the years, you're both very adamant. I… envy that."

"You? Feeling envious, professor?" Lorenz opened his mouth slightly in shock. "I dare say that there's nothing to be envious of. From a young age, I've been raised to take my noble duties to the heart. You are much the same, having been taught by Jeralt the way of the blade and the mercenary lifestyle."

Byleth's lips pursed into a thin line. "While that may be true, I wasn't taught how to be a professor. You could say I was forced into the profession by Rhea."

"And despite that, you have proved to be an excellent professor and mentor," Lorenz pointed out. "Professor, you shouldn't think of yourself in a negative light. You have impacted the lives of many, even if you don't realize it. Perhaps it is out of line for me to say this, but it is clear that something in the past has happened to make you hesitant about the path you walk."

"I'm… surprised that you can tell," Byleth's eyes widened at his observation. "It's true that something has happened to me in the past; those details are something I rather not share. I've grown up having things decided for me, and I've been used countless times. Being in charge for once, let alone an entire army that consists of my former students… it's a heavy weight on my shoulders. And talking to people about topics like feelings and giving advice? I'm not the best at that either."

_Especially given how I feel about…_

As Lorenz finished up his tea, Byleth noticed he had a hardened look on his face. "Professor, I've always believed that no matter what path you take, it will always be the right one. If you have chosen this path of your own free will, then you are set on the course that you believe will free Fodlan from the shackles of war. However, while I do find this to be true, it is in your best interest to also have more faith in yourself both as a leader and a person. Allow yourself to believe that what you feel is natural, and there is nothing that can be done to let that feeling go away." 

He stood up from his seat. "I must be going now, Professor. It is getting rather late. Thank you for the tea, and remember, you are the only one capable of deciding your fate," Lorenz told Byleth earnestly. He gave her a small bow before walking off.

Byleth let out a deep breath and allowed Lorenz's words to sink in.

_Allow yourself to believe that what you feel is natural, and there is nothing that can be done to let that feeling go away._

She leaned forward in her seat, a small smile on her face. Byleth knew that her students have matured, but to be the one given a lesson was new. A small smile tugged at her lips. Perhaps there was truth in Lorenz's words. Words that she should take to heart.

***

They've never been particularly close, but Yuri had always felt a sort of kinship with Ashe. They had both grown up learning how to survive in the harsh society known as Faerghus, doing unspeakable deeds to get by. Where Ashe stole food and money to provide for his siblings, Yuri was willing to take on even the dirtiest jobs to support his mother. Their paths had diverged drastically from one another, but there was a sense of understanding between the two.

They were both placed on kitchen duty that day, both being known by the entire army to be fantastic cooks. How they were able to figure out about Yuri was a mystery considering he was rarely found in the kitchen compared to Ashe who always volunteered for the duty during their academy days.

Both of them finished prepping all the ingredients for dinner that night. Despite being in a war, the monastery still provided both the greenhouse and the fishing pond for food rations. 

"We're lucky we can use the monastery's facilities to our advantage," Ashe said to Yuri as the former placed a pot above the fire. He made sure he fastened the pot properly before sliding the lid on, waiting for the water to boil. "I can't imagine what it would've been like if our base of operations was anywhere else."

"It's a blessing, of course," Yuri hummed as he gathered all the vegetables onto one cutting board. "However, imported goods from around Fodlan could help to add more flavor. It's not easy to make a proper dish when you're missing those Almyran spices or Dagdan fruits."

"I guess you're right."

It grew silent between them. Ashe kneeled down and stared into the fire while Yuri curled his fingers to look at his nails. There wasn't much for them to talk about. The war? No one liked talking about how much blood they've spilled. Their dreams? Yuri preferred not to share such confidential information. He wasn't much for small talk, having preferred conversations that gave him something in return. If he could have a noble easily wrapped around his finger, then there was no need for anymore words.

"Yuri, do you ever regret the path you've chosen?"

Well, he certainly wasn't expecting that. He looked over at Ashe who was still in the same spot close to the fire, his back turned to him. Yuri's eyebrow furrowed at the question.

"Now which path are you exactly referring to?" Yuri asked defensively. "I've walked a lot of paths these past twenty-five years, y'know. You got to be more specific than that."

"You know what I'm talking about. The path of being an outlaw."

"Ah," Yuri clicked his tongue. "I think you know better than anyone else what my answer is. Faerghus wasn't kind to the poor, especially during the plague. We grew up in a land that praised Knights and its King, but then the King was looked down upon for wanting to reform the government. People prayed to the Goddess, and salvation was ripped from their grasp."

"Our situations are almost identical, and yet it is the circumstances that make us differ from one another," Ashe inquired. "You had been involved in gangs, killed for money, and even used nobles for your own personal gain. Meanwhile, I stole only to provide for my younger siblings. And yet, the two of us were both adopted by two of the minor lords in Faerghus, only to diverge on different paths."

"Ashe, you weren't born into poverty like me," Yuri shook his head at the archer's inquiry. "I had to do whatever it took to survive, and where I was born, the people didn't take kindly to those who couldn't protect themselves. I did whatever it took to ensure neither my mom or myself were killed. And even if I was taken in by the Count, it was only a small role I took on to further accomplish my goals. That was all."

"Is following the professor part of accomplishing your goals then?"

Another question to catch him off-guard. Yuri seriously had to hand it to Ashe; he knew exactly what questions would hit him the hardest. He stayed silent, trying to think of an answer. Yuri had told Byleth of his dream before; to help save people from the woes of poverty and offering help to those who needed it. In fact, she was the only one who knew, for he never told any of his Wolves or rogues of his intentions as well. To put an end to the war: that was why Yuri followed Byleth under the banner of the Crest of Flames. At least, that was his reasoning in the beginning.

He knew what fate awaited Byleth once the war would be over. Even if Rhea was somehow alive, she was in no position to become the Archbishop of the Church of Seiros. She would be handing her duties down to Byleth, and their beloved professor would not only become the head of the church, but the ruler of all of Fodlan. With her ruling, Yuri felt that his little dream of helping others could be achieved. When that thought came to mind, Yuri wanted nothing more than to be at her side. It scared him to have such thoughts; he had taught himself to never grow too attached and to mask all his emotions from those around him.

But Byleth? Whether she knew it or not, she broke down all the walls he carefully encased himself in and brought out the best in him. Yuri was not a fool to his emotions; he knew for a while that he had grown to love Byleth for who she was. She made him feel vulnerable and safe; feelings that only his mother was capable of making him feel. With Byleth, he never had to throw on a mask. He was allowed to be himself. To simply be Yuri.

"I would hate to put it that way," Yuri finally answered him. "I have used a lot of people throughout the years. The professor is different though. She knows that if I were to use her, it would never be my intention to hurt her. She knows me too well. Byleth is essential to reaching my goals, but not in the way you think."

"I see," Ashe nodded before he stood up. The archer finally turned his body around to face Yuri. "Five years ago, everyone was able to tell that you and the professor had a special connection. Many speculated that the two of you were engaging in a relationship. But even now, while the connection is there, I sense no indication that the two of you are actually together."

"Oh? And who's to say that I'm not dating our lovely professor?" Yuri's heart began to beat rapidly. 

"Hey, I've read books you know!" Ashe said defensively. "It's odd though. I would've thought by now that the two of you would've come clean. So why…"

"Ashe, oh, Ashe," Yuri said his name sweetly, shaking his head. "There are some words that are best left untold, especially during a war. How I feel about the professor is the least of anyone's worries. What's gotten into you? I didn't expect someone like you to interrogate me so intensely."

"It's been bothering me," Ashe frowned at Yuri. "You're usually full of confidence but when it comes to the professor you're so easily withdrawn. It's not good to bottle up your feelings, you know? I thought out of everyone you'd be the first to pick up on how the professor feels about you."

"Don't be silly," Yuri turned away from pale green eyes and freckles, trying to dispel any discomfort that seeped throughout his body at his words. "The professor would never want someone who's entire being has been forsaken by the goddess." He shook his head before trying to change the subject, "Is that water boiling? We need to start making dinner."

They were silent for the rest of their cooking duty.

 _What right does he have, questioning me as if we're all buddy-buddy?_ Yuri thought to himself later that night. Despite the warm feeling that bloomed in his chest he pushed it down, throwing his pillow over his face. Was he allowed to think this way, wanting to be embraced in the warmth known as love? Yuri already knew the answer to that question.

***

Byleth was crying.

The last clear memory of her crying was when Jeralt died, and she had been a complete mess. But her tears were not out of sadness and despair; instead, she was crying for herself.

As the war was reaching its climax, the stress on Byleth's shoulders had doubled. Fort Merceus was destroyed by javelins of light, but there was a clear path to Enbarr. Hubert and Edelgard would be awaiting her, that much was certain. Within a week they would be marching down to Enbarr, and it was now that the stakes were higher than ever. Both sides would give it their all, and if casualties were kept to a minimum before, it was likely that many would lose their lives.

It was the first time since she had shredded tears since her father's passing, and the amount of discomfort that built up in her chest made Byleth feel as if she was being looked down upon. Her stress had caused nightmares to take place of her dreamless slumbers, and in those nightmares all the feelings she had suppressed had taken form. A man, whose face she had discarded from her memory long ago, had manifested once more in her brain, and Byleth was losing it. That same man, who nearly took everything away from her nearly a decade ago came back to haunt her.

His voice rang loud and clear in her brain as he ridiculed her; his hands groped her body as she tried to wriggle out of his grasp; his face completely distorted. She had discarded his name and yet he somehow made his way back into her life without being near her. He was dead. Jeralt had killed him. But no matter how much she tried to convince herself that he was gone, his memory had lived on.

She hadn't slept well in days. She refused to sleep, knowing well that once she drifted off into a deep slumber that man would be awaiting her. The past that Byleth had tried so hard to run away from had caught up to her without caution. Byleth needed some fresh air.

Rolling out of bed, Byleth smoothed out the wrinkles in her nightgown and reached for her cloak. After slipping it on, she tied her hair back and was out the doors without wasting another moment. The only time Garreg Mach was truly silent was during the nighttime, when all the students and animals had gone to bed, and not even a knight of Seiros was out and about patrolling the premises. She thought of places where she could just sit down and think without being disturbed.

The training grounds were out of the question. As much as she loved to swing her sword and hit a training dummy until she was sweating, Byleth didn't want to go through the trouble of sneaking into the baths. The dining hall and library were marked off as well; she was not hungry and a book would've caused her to fall asleep instead. Her eyes drifted off to the cathedral.

It was difficult to visit the cathedral, ever since the Rite of Rising defiled her mother's body and the funeral that was held for Jeralt. Both of her parents spent some of their last moments in the cathedral. Despite how much her mind protested against going, her body moved of its own accord. 

There was no one there. The pews were empty and the entire cathedral was dark except for the dimly lit candles and the moonlight that seeped in through the opening of the roof. Not even the cathedral was a holy ground anymore, having been tainted by too many calamities to even be considered one at that point. She stood in front of the large pile of rubble, unsure what to do. Byleth had never been entirely pious; Jeralt had kept her away from the church and the religion for as long as she was alive. She had never read any of the scriptures or was taught the daily prayer ritual.

Suddenly, a memory stirred from deep within her mind; the night of the ball five years ago when Sothis had urged her to follow Rhea when they saw her leaving the ballroom. The Archbishop had been singing a familiar tune that caused Byleth's chest to tighten when she heard it. Sothis had recalled that she was the one who had written the song in the first place, and Byleth knew that the song was digging up old memories for the goddess. She hurried herself to bed before they were caught.

A thought occurred to Byleth. She brought her hands together, her head bowing down in prayer. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before allowing her voice to echo throughout the cathedral. 

" _In times flow, see the glow of Flames ever burning bright… On the swift river's drift, broken memories alight…_ "

Byleth heard footsteps from behind her. She slowly lifted her head up and looked over her shoulder to see who had come to the cathedral so late at night. From where she was standing, the moonlight shone down upon her, and she squinted her eyes to see who would emerge from the darkness. Her face began to heat up once she saw Yuri step into the moonlight, a small smile on his face.

"Never expected to hear such a lovely tune this late at night. Even more surprising to hear it coming from you, friend," He was teasing her, but the look on his face showed no signs of continuing. "What brings you here tonight?"

Byleth brought her hands back down her sides as she turned her body to fully face him. "I couldn't sleep," she replied honestly. "Had a bad dream and wanted to get some fresh air. I came to the cathedral and… offered my prayers to the Goddess. It was the only place that I felt could offer me no judgment tonight. Ironic, considering many people come here asking for forgiveness or to repent for their sins."

"I must admit, I've never heard of singing as a way of offering your prayers to the Goddess," Yuri was standing next to her now, looking up at the moon. "Where did you learn that song anyway?"

"That's…" Byleth bit the inside of her cheek, unsure how to reply. "To be honest, I'm not sure myself. It just came to me naturally."

"Well, color me surprised. You have a beautiful singing voice," Yuri said in shock despite the smile he wore on his face. It wasn't one of his fake smiles; the smiles that Byleth has seen him wear in front of nobles or Seteth. It was one of his genuine smiles. "I'll admit, when I was on my way here I wasn't expecting you to be the one singing. I thought it would be Dorothea but you don't hold a candle to her voice."

"There's no one that can rival Dorothea's voice," Byleth snorted at his observation. "Why were you coming here in the first place?" She noticed that he wasn't wearing his usual Trickster attire, instead wearing what seemed to be his night clothes. Her eyes widened when she noticed that he wasn't wearing any makeup either, his face bare of both eyeshadow and lip gloss. Yuri was always one to keep up appearances, especially around her. But at that moment, it was as if Yuri was bearing all of him to her.

"Like you, I came here because I was feeling rather restless this lovely night," Yuri answered her. "I come here whenever I feel like paying the Goddess a visit. But enough of why I'm here. Let's both sit down. I don't like standing around for too long." They moved to one of the pews, sitting close to one another with their knees touching. Yuri was quick to ask her another question. "You said that you had a bad dream. Want to talk about it?"

Byleth visibly tensed at his question, her fingers digging into her bare thigh. She knew his question came from a good place, and she held no ill will against him for wondering. Yuri seemed to have noticed how she tensed up and his eyebrow furrowed at the sight. She glanced at him with a serious look in her eyes.

"I've been stressed over our upcoming march on Enbarr. Let's just say that it has built up so much that some bad memories have been dug up and I've been having nightmares for the past few nights," she said through clenched teeth. "You would think that a decade would be enough to fully bury the mistakes of your past… but I've been forsaken of such a privilege."

Yuri tilted his head to the side, his eyes filled with curiosity. He allowed one of his hands to support him as he leaned back, giving Byleth a bit of room. "You haven't told me anything about your past. I know it's because you don't like talking about it. You're not obligated to tell me anything, y'know. I just want to make sure you're okay."

"No… No, I definitely owe you an explanation," Byleth frowned at him. "I've been meaning to tell you for awhile actually; in fact, I have meant to tell you after our little battle with those bandits a few moons back." She saw Yuri open his lips in protest and she narrowed her eyes. "Yuri, I'm serious. I want to tell you because, well… I feel that it's only right that you know."

Yuri looked back at her with a concerned look only to sigh in defeat. "Well, if you're so insistent then I won't stop you."

She nodded before she turned her attention to the marbled floor. "A few years before Garreg Mach, my father's mercenary company was assigned to a village that was experiencing constant bandit attacks. I was about… seventeen, turning eighteen," Byleth tugged at the edge of nightgown. "Do you remember five years ago when I told you that I've met an individual similar to you?"

"I do," Yuri nodded. "If I remember correctly, you said that… you almost died as a result of meeting him…" His eyes widened as he started to connect the dots. "Byleth, you don't mean to tell me--"

Byleth laughed bitterly. "The only bastard that actually made me feel something for once in my life was also the one who nearly killed me. He was the son of their leader, and his objective was to get close to me so I could easily be disposed of in the long run," She said before leaning her head back to look up at the ceiling. "I was a huge fool, allowing myself to be driven by feelings like love and desire. Papa couldn't bring it in himself to scold me over such a trivial matter. He was the one who found me bleeding out with a huge gash on my back. And… he was the only one that was patient with me during my first rehabilitation. Papa knew I went through enough."

Yuri ran a hand through his hair, looking over at Byleth in disbelief. "How do you recover from such a low blow like that?" He asked, his tone serious. "Your nightmares… is he appearing again?"

"He is," Byleth swallowed heavily at Yuri's question. "I thought he had disappeared from all traces of my memory but the stress that has built up from the war has caused him to come back. My nightmares have distorted him into a monster, different from how he treated me before his betrayal. I'm not sure when he will go away but… it's hard to sleep knowing that once I drift off, he will be there. All those affectionate gestures, the words we exchanged behind closed doors, the times we 'made love'? I was wrapped around his finger like he wanted. But he made one miscalculation. I still live."

Yuri's face scrunched up in disgust as he processed the information Byleth told him. He knew he was no better, manipulating nobles and having blood spilled on his hands all for his own benefit. But to take advantage of the common people like the bandit who had messed with Byleth's feelings was a twisted scenario that even Yuri wouldn't dare replicate. 

"Byleth," He called out to her. Yuri met her dark green gaze and frowned. "Why have you taken the time to know me then? I'm no better than the man who manipulated you all those years ago. I have blood on my hands and I've messed around with people and I've sweet-talked to nobles all for my own benefit. So why is it that you see me in a different light than him?"

She frowned. It was true that in some aspects, Yuri was not so different from the man who nearly killed her. But Byleth knew Yuri better than that. There was one thing that he wouldn't do to her. She stood up and shed her cloak before turning her back to him. Byleth could already see the confused look on his face. She took a deep breath and said, "Take a look at what he left behind. Ask yourself if you would do this to me, Yuri."

"Y-You want me to unzip your nightgown? Here?" Yuri sputtered out in surprise. Not even he was prepared for her bold proposition.

"Just do it," Byleth mumbled, her face burning from embarrassment. "You'll understand once you see it."

Yuri seriously wasn't prepared for this. He hesitated before he shakily brought his hands up toward the zipper resting at the top of her back. They shouldn't be doing this, he knew that much. Anyone could walk in at any moment and see Yuri undressing the professor in the _cathedral_ of all places. It's a holy ground meant for praying, not a midnight rendezvous. Yuri tried to stay focused as he slowly brought the zipper down her back, the fabric exposing her pale skin.

Byleth shivered as her skin was exposed to the cold air. She tried to keep her breathing steady as Yuri stopped pulling the zipper at the small of her back. She can hear his breath caught in his throat. Yuri could only stare in shock.

A large scar ranging from below her left shoulder to her lower back was angled diagonally. It looked to have healed in the years from when it was originally inflicted, but it stuck out so much that Yuri couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight in front of him. He slowly brought a hand up to the scar and watched as a shiver racked Byleth's entire body. His hands were cold against her warm skin.

It became clear what silent question Byleth was asking him.

_Would you risk everything to kill me?_

Yuri shook his head. "No…" He said quietly at first. "No, I would never do such a thing. To you, of all people Byleth."

"I thought as much," Byleth replied, and she wished she didn't have to imagine the look on his face. She closed her eyes tight. "You wouldn't dare hurt me like this, Yuri. I trust you." Byleth removed his hand from her back and reached for the zipper once more to fix her nightgown.

Yuri wasn't having it though. He grabbed one of her wrists, and Byleth yelped in surprise before he was tugging her onto his lap. She had to pull at the fabric a certain way to keep it from all falling off.

"Yuri--"

As she fell forward, Byleth quickly brought her hands up to his chest to keep herself from falling. She wanted to protest but went silent when he took her chin in his other hand and forced her to look at him. Yuri narrowed his eyes at her.

"How much do you trust me, Byleth?"

She blinked in surprise.

"What--"

"Answer the question. Please."

Byleth looked down to where her hands were splayed against his chest. A small tint of pink dusted her cheeks when she realized the thumping against her fingers was none other than his heartbeat. She wanted to move her head and listen to it for herself.

"I trust you with my life, Yuri," she answered with certainty. Byleth looked up into his soft lavender gaze, full of adoration and a twinge of desire. "Your heartbeat… I can feel it beating rapidly."

Yuri removed his hand that held her chin and instead went for her wrist, bringing it close to his lips. He looked at her as he kissed the inside of her wrist. "You're the one responsible for that, friend,” Yuri replied in a breathy voice. “My heart just doesn’t want to calm down when I’m around you.”

Byleth’s chest tightened at his words. She wondered if it was appropriate for them to be situated like this in the cathedral with her nightgown nearly hanging off her shoulders, or how Yuri brought her closer by wrapping an arm around her waist.. But she dispelled those thoughts as she leaned in a bit closer, resting her forehead against his. Her eyes glanced down at his lips and that didn’t go unnoticed by Yuri.

“I’m… I’m tired of hesitating,” Byleth whispered as she brought her hands up to rest on Yuri’s face, being reminded of Lorenz’s words about the path she wanted to follow. She didn’t want to look away from that intoxicating lavender gaze; not when she was sure that she had the same exact look in her eyes. 

“Do you want this, Byleth?” Yuri asked as his hand slipped beneath the fabric of her nightgown, his fingers tracing along her scar. She shivered in his arms and the thought of making her tremble beneath him made Yuri shamefully swallow his desire. He didn’t want to take advantage of her vulnerability when she came to the cathedral just for a moment of respite. “You can walk away now. You have every right to. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

Was he allowed to hold Byleth in his arms like this? The question was stuck at the tip of his tongue, but any worries that were stuck in the back of his mind immediately went away when she smiled at him, her eyes never betraying the words she said to him.

“If I wanted to walk away, I would’ve done it by now,” Byleth said to him in such a soft voice as her hands came to rest on his shoulders. Her eyes darkened as she lowered her tone. “I want this. And I want _you_ , Yuri. So please…”

Yuri licked his lips. “Goddess, you’ll be the death of me.”

No more words were exchanged as Yuri rested his other hand on Byleth’s nape and, finally, they allowed themselves to close the distance with a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah yes another cliffhanger. I apologize... Not. Let's just say that... things will escalate between the two very quickly in the next chapter, if you catch my drift. ;)
> 
> With the coronavirus stuff going on, I hope that all of you are staying safe during these trying times. As for me, school has been cancelled until April 16th, so I'll be taking this time to not only do the homework assigned to me, but to indulge in some hobbies I've been holding off for awhile now. This also means that I will be taking the time to update this fic and hopefully it will be done before I have to go back. I have some more story ideas, after all.
> 
> As always, thank you all for the comments, kudos, and bookmarks. It means so much to me that you guys enjoy this story that has escalated because my mind can't make decisions. Hope you all have a lovely morning/afternoon/evening. <3


	4. in your arms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yuri, can I tell you something?” She asked after a few moments of silence.
> 
> “Of course, Byleth.”
> 
> “I love you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I guess this should go without saying but just in case:
> 
> This chapter contains explicit sexual content. Please read at your own risk. 
> 
> Otherwise, I hope you enjoy the chapter.

_Yuri doesn’t quite remember how old he was. His childhood was a clusterfuck, being stuck between death and learning how to leech off of others in order to survive the monstrosity known as society. All he remembered was that he was home with his mother; it was about a year or two after the elder had cured him of the plague that infected his entire village. And being the curious little bird he was, Yuri had asked his mother a question that seemed nearly impossible to answer at his age._

_"Mama, how do you know when you're in love?"_

_He remembered how his mother’s body seemed to stop as she took in his words. Camille Leclerc looked back at her son with a quirked eyebrow. The brush that was expertly coating blush across her cheekbones stopped abruptly at her son's words. Yuri tilted his head to the side in curiosity._

_"C'mere, my little sparrow," she gestured for Yuri to come to her. He obeyed and let out a small giggle when Camille picked him up and set him on her lap. He looked at himself in the mirror of his mom's makeshift vanity before looking up at her. "Why are you asking such a question in the first place?"_

_He squirmed in her hold as Camille set her makeup brush down, resting one of her hands on his cheek. "It was in one of the books I was reading," Yuri told her as he glanced back at the book that rested upon his bed. "The prince saved the princess, and then they fell in love. How do you know when you're in love? Do you have to save someone in order for them to fall in love with you?"_

_"No, little sparrow," Camille shook her head as she planted a kiss on Yuri's temple. "Love does not work that way. It takes time to develop feelings for someone, and then you'll start to fall in love. But falling in love can be a bit… difficult. You'll want to fall in love with someone you want to spend the rest of your life with."_

_Yuri reflected on her words for a moment before nodding. "Did you and Papa not fall in love then?"_

_He was a foolish boy back then, asking his mother a question like that so casually. He was so young and barely got a taste of the shit that would hit him in the face later down the road. Yuri could still see the strained smile she gave him at his question._

_"Your papa and I… that's a long story," his mother looked at herself in the mirror, a look of regretful longing painting her features. "It's something you'll understand when you're older…"_

_Camille only shook her head before she said his real name. His real name, the one he discarded from the world long ago and only his mother was the one who could call him that. She was the only one that could truly understand her little dove. His mother saw him turn into a Mockingbird overnight, and she still saw him as a beautiful sparrow._

_There were many things that Yuri wasn't proud of. He joined up with the wrong people because he had no other choice. At a young age, he had blood spilled on his hands in order to protect himself. He killed for his own benefit, stole from others, and even slept with others all to save his own skin. He could never be proud of the person he was._

_The world had never been kind to him from the beginning, and therefore his heart had hardened as a result of the world he had grown up in._

_But when he was thrown into Abyss, and suddenly he was surrounded by wonderful companions like Balthus and Constance and Hapi that Yuri realized that he can rely on others to tread the same path as him. He didn't have to be alone. The blood he had spilled amassed into an ocean. It was a miracle that the Goddess had granted him reprieve time and again in the form of Byleth._

_And Goddess above, he was a lucky man indeed._

_In the 25 years that Yuri had walked the land, never had a man or woman make him crave the feeling of love and render him into a state of confusion. He was confused because of the way he felt. He was confused that his heart had thawed because of the warmth that Byleth had willingly embraced him in over and over. But he would rather be damned than to live a life where he was not next to Byleth by the end of the war._

_He's suddenly recalling a conversation with his mother. Yuri could hear her saying his real name in a sweet tone, flashing that genuine smile that her customers rarely saw._

_"My sparrow… When you fall in love, it will be like nothing you have felt in your entire life. You might not find them now… but someday, when you find them, never let them go. Hold them close to your heart."_

_"Where is this advice coming from, mother?"_

_She had brought up the topic out of the blue five years ago, shortly after Byleth had disappeared. He had built up the willpower to finally visit his mother again, and to ensure that she would be safe during the early stages of the war._

_Camille laughed behind her hand. "I have years of experience, my sparrow. You can't hide everything from your mother. Us Leclercs have a knack for knowing how to read people," she ran a hand through her hair, giving her son a knowing look. "You could call it a gut feeling. I call it intuition. There's just something about you that's more hesitant than normal."_

_"I guess you could say that," Yuri leaned into the palm of his hand._

_"Well, if your reaction to the advice I gave you was any indication of what you're feeling right now, don't push it aside," Camille implored him with a fierce look in her eyes. "We're the same, my dove. If something is too good to be true, we back away. We've experienced too much bad in this world to accept the good. We're afraid that the good in this world will eventually turn on us. But my dear sparrow, you will know when something is genuine. Please, when that time comes, allow yourself to embrace the feeling."_

_He could only stare at his mother as he tried to digest her words. Yuri shamefully looked away._

_"Of course, mother. I'll try."_

_Yuri had told her that back then, trying to reassure her that everything was okay. He knew it would be hard to hide everything from her; his mother was able to look through him like glass. Any bluff of his would immediately be thrown into the wind without hesitation. It was odd, thinking back on it. He had never vividly remembered their conversations before, but something was different about those memories. The more he looked into her words, the more Yuri came to a realization._

_He's finally understanding what his mother was trying to tell him all along._

***

Byleth's lips were soft against his. Yuri never had such a feeling burn in his chest before, exploding into a thousand sparks before simmering down into a heat that pooled in his groin. He wasn't used to kissing someone he had genuine feelings for. He wasn't used to being so close to someone that he genuinely _loved_.

Feeling a bit adventurous, Yuri licked her bottom lip, hoping she would comply. Byleth didn’t even hesitate as she parted her lips and their tongues met in a dance. She let out a low moan.

It's then that their kisses grew a bit more desperate, their teeth clashing as they tried to take in as much of each other as possible. Byleth gasped into the kiss, and it's not long before he felt her shift in his lap, feeling her move his legs together. Yuri barely had a moment to process what Byleth was doing before she's straddling him, her muscled thighs securing him in place. Fuck, Yuri definitely wasn't expecting that.

He pulled away from their kiss, only taking a second to see how flushed Byleth was in the face. Yuri doesn't take long before he leaned in and his lips were now on her neck, feeling her pulse beat rapidly against his lips. He brushed his tongue over her pulse and felt Byleth shudder at the feeling. Yuri felt one of her hands tangle into his hair and she tugged ever so slightly, drawing a rough groan out of him.

"Yuri…" His name left her lips in a whimper before dissipating into a sweet gasp as Yuri grazed his teeth along her skin. She was positively warm in his arms and Yuri felt like he was burning. Maybe it was because of the flush that painted itself across her skin from the kiss, or maybe it was the growing desire that was building up in both their hearts. If Yuri was burning, he'd rather burn in the embrace of Byleth's arms.

Her gasps turned into a low moan as Yuri’s hands were relentless in exploring her entire body. He reveled in how her body trembled beneath his touch and took pride in the moans he was able to draw out of Byleth. But Yuri was a greedy man. He always craved more and was willing to do whatever it took to get the desired result he wanted.

Their new position allowed Yuri to run his hands along the inside of Byleth’s thighs, and in return he felt a sharp tug in his hair. He let out a moan this time and looked up at Byleth beneath his lashes, drinking in the desperate look on her face. He’s caught off guard when Byleth decided to roll her hips into him and she’s letting out a breathy moan.

“Fuck--” Yuri hissed under his breath. The pleasure that racked Yuri’s body was enough to make him go insane. “Byleth, we need to--”

“My room,” She said almost instantly before she’s tugging his hair again and forcing Yuri to look up at her. Byleth leaned in once more and kissed him hard with a ferocity that Yuri has only seen on the battlefield, now presenting itself through her almost erratic movements. He nearly shuddered at the thought of her battlefield persona being present during such an intimate endeavor, but he supposed that would be for another time; if there ever was another time. “Please, Yuri, I can’t--”

“Getting a bit desperate now, aren’t we?” He teased Byleth as he broke away to trail kisses down her neck once more, sinking his teeth into her skin here and there to induce all kinds of reactions out of her. His hands move to her back and quickly zip up the back of her nightgown. Yuri smirked against her skin before she’s ripping herself away from his body and reaching over for her cloak.

Byleth’s body is shaking even after removing herself from Yuri’s lap, her hands trembling. Her skin has flushed into a light pink. He wondered if it was possible to make the blush an even deeper shade. When she’s tugging on his wrist, Yuri stood up from the pew and they both break off into a desperate run, heading off to her room.

***

He doesn’t remember who closed the door, or who kissed who first after they made it to her room, but all Yuri knew was that they were in the comfort of Byleth’s room once more. It was the place where they have found refuge in each other during the darkest hours of the night and in turn found a home. In Byleth’s room, Yuri was finally going to have the chance to claim her.

The height difference between them became more apparent as Byleth is barely standing on her tippy toes to kiss him. The thought is immediately discarded once Yuri pulled her in closer and he’s whispering a command against her lips and suddenly his arms and hands are lifting her up. Byleth wrapped her legs around his waist and they returned to kissing one another.

He made his way over to her bed and he’s laying her gently across the mattress without breaking the kiss. Yuri pulled away from the kiss once she was fully laid down; he tried to keep his composure when a small whine left her lips.

It’s at that moment took the time to fully admire the way Byleth looked. Her mint green hair was splayed across the pillow in waves. Her skin was flushed a bright pink and extended past the fabric of her nightgown, hidden away. Yuri nearly wanted to rip it away and see just how far her blush spread. Her lips were swollen from their relentless kissing and her eyes, those beautiful eyes that looked at him as if he was her entire world, was nearly drowning with the darkness of desire.

"You're smiling."

The words broke Yuri out of his trance. He was completely captivated by her beauty. Byleth rested her hand on his cheek and gently turned his head towards her. 

"I'm smiling?" He asked her, dumbfounded. Was he really smiling?

"I've only seen you like this a few times," she admitted as her fingers traced along his cheekbone. "It's not one of your fake smiles either. It's your genuine smile. And… the only time I've seen this smile is when we're alone together."

"Is that so?" Yuri pondered her words for a moment. He should stop doubting himself so much. He was already well aware of just how much of an effect Byleth had on him. "Maybe it's because I can't stop thinking about how good you make me feel."

"Oh, really?" Now she's smiling, and it's one of the most beautiful things Yuri has ever laid his eyes upon. She brought her arm up and slung it over his shoulder before pressing her hand down on his shoulder blade. The pressure is enough to bring him closer to her. Byleth leaned in to press her forehead to his. "And if I were to say that you do the same to me?"

The mood had shifted from their frantic kissing to the stillness of reveling in the other's embrace in a heartbeat. Yuri's looking at Byleth with full adoration in his eyes, practically wearing his heart on his sleeve right in front of her. Goddess, he doesn't know how much longer he can take.

Instead, he asked her, "Are you sure you want to continue this?"

Yuri wondered why it took him until they're in her bed to finally hesitate. He should've taken more care instead of forcing Byleth onto his lap earlier. She was exposing the darkness of her past, pouring her heart out to him, revealing the demons that have haunted her for so long. A pang of guilt manifested in Yuri's chest. Perhaps he should've been more patient. 

Byleth looked at him for a moment before she lifted her hips up and rolled into Yuri, drawing a surprised groan out of him. "I know what you're thinking," she swallowed thickly as she took in the look on his face. "It's been years, yes, but I can't continue to look back on the past. I want to look ahead to the future… the future where you're with me."

Her words made Yuri's chest swell with love. To think that she was even considering a future where the two of them were standing side by side. Yuri felt his self-restraint snapping.

"You're serious?" He tried to keep his composure as Byleth rolled her hips into him again, her head falling back onto the pillow as she let out a sigh. "Byleth, please, don't mess with my heart like that--"

"Yuri," He paused and looked her right in the eye, watching as she reached out to him and brought him even closer. Byleth brushed several strands of hair out of his face as he noticed the tears that threatened to spill from her beautiful eyes. Yuri wasn't prepared for the question that left her lips.

"Would I ever lie to you?"

And suddenly, the dam holding back all of his desire was exploding, and Yuri couldn't contain the emotion that was rushing forth in frantic waves.

***

_It's happened before with Hapi._

_"So, when do you plan on telling Chatterbox?"_

_Yuri was rather confused by Hapi's question._

_"Whatever do you mean?"_

_That earned him a frown._

_"Yuri-bird, you're playing with me, right?" Her mouth gaped open when she realized he didn't know a single thing she was referring to. "Um, hello, you're the leader of Abyss. You're supposed to be aware of this type of stuff. Or are you actually dense when it comes to 'matters of the heart' as Constance so kindly referred to it at one point?"_

_"Do you intend to tell me that you and Constance have been gossiping about little ol' me?" Yuri tried to throw her off by teasing her. The bluff didn't work._

_"Of course we have been. Chatterbox has returned after five years and the two of you are tied to the hip as it was before everything went to hell," Hapi pointed out. "You might think you're not exposing too much, but it's as clear as day. I hope you know that Dorothea has made betting ballots since everyone returned to the monastery."_

_"Betting ballots?" Yuri frowned at her words. "You mean to tell me that she put up betting ballots for both me and Byleth?"_

_"Yes." Hapi deadpanned, stretching out her arms. "Geez, Yuri-bird, you're really dense. I wouldn't have expected that considering how you're able to use that silver tongue of yours to get whatever you want. But when it comes to Chatterbox, it's like you don't want to come clean."_

_"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," Yuri sharply looked to the side, hoping to avoid the unimpressed look on Hapi's face._

_It happened a few moons later, again. This time with Balthus._

_"When are you going to stop beating around the bush, pal?" He had asked while the two of them made bets at the arena in Abyss. The grappler flinched as he watched the man he placed his bet on flail to the ground with no resistance. Yuri clicked his tongue._

_"One, I don't know what you're talking about," Yuri muttered as he took another swig of his bottle; the fourth one of that night. He surely could go another few rounds, especially if Balthus was there as his competition. Like hell he was going down that easily. "Second, I better get those baked sweets from your village as compensation for our bets."_

_"Don't act coy with me," Balthus nearly yelled as he slammed his empty bottle on the bench. The alcohol was definitely getting to him, but not enough to fully knock him out. Maybe another four bottles. "I'm talking about the professor, of course."_

_"Gods, you sound like Hapi," Yuri grimaced as he remembered the conversation. "She came to me blabbering about the same topic. Now I have to hear it from you?"_

_"Hey, pal, I'm only bringing it up because we're tired of seeing you trudge around like a lovesick fool," Balthus frowned as he waved over for another bottle. He took the bottle with purpose and popped off the cap before taking a large swig. The large man let out a satisfied gasp, wiping his lips with the back of his hand._

_“Lovesick fool, huh?” Yuri blankly stared out to the arena. A look of longing crossed his features. “Perhaps you’re right,” He said wistfully after a moment of silence._

_Just that morning, Constance had arrived to blather on about the same subject._

_“Yuri, dear, it would be most prudent to just fess up to the professor,” She had momentarily declared after using her magic prowess to help clean up the rubble somewhere on the monastery grounds. “I know that Hapi and Balthus have talked to you about the topic. It’s not wise to run from your problems. I thought the Savage Mockingbird faced his problems head-on?”_

_Great, the last thing he needed was for Constance of all people to tell him what to do. Yuri narrowed his eyes at her._

_“I don’t need you giving me a lecture about my love life, Shady Lady,” Yuri shook his head as they entered Abyss._

_“Aha! So you do admit to harboring some sort of feelings for the professor!” Constance exclaimed with a mischievous glimmer in her eyes. “I never thought it would be so easy to make you tell me the truth. And yet, you do not wish to tell the professor about your feelings! I hope you know that it is as plain as day that she obviously reciprocates your affections, Yuri. It’s more than just your teasing that has caused you to win her heart.”_

_“Are all of you observing me so intensely?” Yuri asked in an exasperated tone. He couldn’t believe his friends. “Why is it so important that I tell Byleth about my feelings for her?”_

_“Isn’t it quite obvious?” Constance asked as she circled Yuri to block his way. She pointed her finger at him. “We want nothing more than for you to be happy, Yuri.”_

_Her gaze softened at her proclamation. “Yuri, as our leader and beloved friend, you’ve done so much for the people of Abyss without asking for anything in return. Yes, I’ll admit that sometimes you can take things a bit overboard, but not without the intent to save someone in return. We just think that… maybe it’s time you started doing something for yourself rather than focusing on the needs of others.”_

_Constance was usually one to not wax poetic; her words always had intent and snark behind them when needed. And yet, her words had definitely struck a chord in Yuri. It still baffled him to think that he had wonderful companions -- friends -- who looked out for his well being. He had friends that wanted him to pursue his own happiness, just like his mother._

_And it was time that Yuri finally took their words to heart._

***

Perhaps it had been his fear of commitment that had caused him to hesitate for such a long time. Yuri had never been the type to dwell on things for too long, always moving on after he received results. The overwhelming surge of love that currently seeped throughout his entire being was something he wanted for the rest of his life.

“Oh my God, Yuri,” Byleth said in a panicked voice as she sat up, gently cradling his face in her hands. “Did I say something wrong? I’m sorry.”

“What…?” Yuri pulled back a bit and realized what had caused Byleth to panic. “Oh, I haven’t even realized…”

He was crying.

It had been a long time since he had last shed tears in front of someone, or cried in general. Yuri had only been so vulnerable in front of his mother. He had become too used to suppressing his tears. 

Byleth’s thumb gently pushed away the tears that slipped from Yuri’s eyes, a concerned look etched on her face. “I’ve never seen you cry before… Did I say something wrong for a moment? I didn’t mean to ruin the mood--”

Yuri cut her off abruptly by leaning in and capturing her lips with his. She let out a gasp of surprise as he quickly deepened the kiss, needing a reminder that the woman in his arms was not an unknown body with unknown motives and an unknown name. No, the woman in his arms was Byleth Eisner, a remarkable woman who had left such a deep impression on his heart that Yuri hoped she would stay with him forever.

He pulled away when he felt his lungs burning with the need for air, taking in the look of surprise on Byleth’s face. Yuri let out a small laugh.

“No, far from that, Byleth,” Yuri whispered in a low tone before leaning in to steal another kiss. “These tears… I’m crying because I’ve never felt so overwhelmed with the feeling of love. Do you--” he reveled in how desperate her gasps became as he continued to kiss her, “--have any idea what you do to me?”

His hands traveled to the back of her nightgown and he began to slowly pull the zipper down. Yuri didn’t need to hesitate anymore. He was tired of holding back. He pulled away from their kiss momentarily as he stopped pulling the zipper, flashing her a knowing look. Byleth kept eye contact with him as she slipped her arms out of the nightgown and began to pull it over her head.

Yuri helped her, bunching up the silky fabric before he ungracefully threw it into an unknown corner of her room. He laid Byleth against her mattress once more and pulled away to drink in the new sight before him.

It was that same word that had been stuck at the tip of his tongue five years ago. Beneath his body, Yuri was certain he was getting a glimpse at the goddess. Yuri’s eyes scanned Byleth’s entire body. He took in her plump breasts, the small scars that adorned her body, her navel. He nearly wanted to tear off her panties and feast upon the wet heat that awaited him.

Byleth cleared her throat and his head shot up. Her face turned a light shade of red.

“I don’t mind you taking the time to look, but you’re staring…”

“I apologize,” Yuri said before his hands reached for her breasts, and he can hear the sharp inhale that Byleth took. “I was taking my time admiring a goddess.”

“I’m not--”

He cut her off with another kiss. Yuri’s hands began to massage her breasts and Byleth moaned into the kiss, allowing him to slip his tongue into her mouth. She allowed him to explore, laying there languidly before he broke away, a string of saliva connecting them. Yuri barely gave her a moment to react before he’s planting kisses along the expanse of her neck and working his way done to her breasts.

Just as he suspected, they were sensitive. He brought his thumb up and rolled it against her nipple, earning him a strangled moan in return. Yuri smirked against her skin. He was craving to hear more. Byleth wasn’t afraid to let out her moans and sighs of pleasure, knowing full well that Yuri would’ve wanted her to let them out to her heart’s content.

He leaned his head down close to her other breast and slowly brought his tongue over her nipple. Byleth’s entire body nearly shuddered at the sensation and _fuck_ Yuri wanted to see that again. While his thumb was occupied with one breast, his tongue was busy handling the other, and when he was satisfied with his work he would switch.

The entire time Byleth had been responsive, a sharp gasp or a small tug on his hair to let Yuri know that she loved every second. Yuri pulled back and she let out a small whine. His entire body began to warm up.

He decided to take his shirt off, pulling it over his head and discarded it like Byleth’s nightgown. The look of desire that Byleth in her eyes didn’t go unnoticed by Yuri as she took in his exposed chest and torso.

“Like what you see?” Yuri teased her. She nodded weakly in response.

“It would be better if you took off your pants, too,” Byleth said bluntly albeit the red flush that painted her face.

He leaned in to steal a kiss. “Rather demanding now, aren’t you? There's a polite way to ask. Use your words correctly now, Byleth…”

She huffed, turning her head to the side. Yuri noticed her lips curl into a pout. How adorable.

“P-Please…” Byleth said softly.

Yuri smirked slightly before kissing her cheek. His hands reached for her thighs and he untangled his body from hers before pulling away. He tried not to think too much about the amount of warmth that left him as he stood by her bed. Yuri noticed that Byleth was looking at him and he kept eye contact as he slipped out of his pajama pants, leaving him in nothing but his smallclothes.

The moment Yuri was on top of her again, Byleth immediately wrapped her legs around his hips and tugged him closer before grinding into him. Yuri let out a strangled groan, surprised at her boldness but it immediately dissipated as he became keenly aware of how wet Byleth was.

Her panties were completely soaked, her wetness seeping through the fabric. Now that he was only in his smallclothes, Yuri was able to feel Byleth’s wetness and he let out a moan. Yuri brought a hand down to her panties and tugged them to the side before his fingers brushed against her cunt.

“You’re so _wet_ ,” Yuri whispered huskily before he was blindly searching for her clit. Byleth’s back immediately arched and Yuri let out a sigh of satisfaction. “There it is…”

“Fuck…!” Byleth cursed as she canted her hips upward, a clear sign that she wanted more. She let out a cry as Yuri’s thumb teased her clit and he eased a finger into her, slowly curling it inside of her. “Y-Yes, please…--”

“Tell me what you want, Byleth,” Yuri coaxed her as he watched her reactions to his ministrations. The sight of her eyes blown out from the desire, the way her body trembled as he elicited every moan and sigh out of hear, her hair a complete disheveled mess. Yuri couldn’t get enough of Byleth. He didn’t think he ever would.

“Please, Yuri-- more--” His name sounded so filthy leaving her lips, gasping for air. He added another finger and felt the way her walls stretched from the intrusion before squeezing around them. He began to pump his fingers in and out, his thumb began to circle her clit a bit faster. Byleth’s body became taut like a bowstring, the tension slowly building up.

A sharp cry left her lips as his fingers finally found that small bundle of nerves. He was relentless, thrusting his fingers into that spot over and over again with his thumb continuing to tease her clit. Byleth’s thighs tightened their grip around his hand, but Yuri didn’t let that stop him from tipping her over the edge.

Yuri leaned down and licked the spot where Byleth’s neck and shoulder met before biting down hard. A sharp cry left her lips once more as he began to abuse the spot with the intent to leave a mark. More of her moans and cries spilled from her lips with the occasional call of his name. Her cunt squeezed his fingers in a vice grip and it wasn’t long before Byleth was crying out Yuri’s name and she allowed herself to let go.

He continued to move his fingers, milking her orgasm and he pulled away from Byleth’s neck, smirking when a red mark began to bloom from his ministrations. A tight grip on his wrist stopped Yuri from thrusting his fingers anymore.

“T-Too much…” Byleth muttered in a breathless voice as she urged for Yuri to remove his fingers. She let out a small whimper as he removed his fingers from her overstimulated cunt. Her face turned red as Yuri brought his fingers up to his mouth and began to lick them clean. Yuri hummed.

“I wonder if next time you’ll give me the chance to taste you directly from the source. You taste absolutely divine,” Yuri teased her.

Byleth huffed out. She narrowed her eyes at him and the next thing Yuri knew he was being flipped onto his back. Byleth hovered on top of him, her thighs securing him in place. She pouted slightly.

“What’s with the look, Byleth?” Yuri asked her as he brought a hand up to rest it gently on her cheek. 

“You’re not being fair,” She huffed. “I want you to feel good as well, Yuri.”

He supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised by her words. Byleth was always one to put her needs before others, wanting to provide minimal satisfaction for everyone around her. The look in her eyes conveyed no signs of deception.

“You’re rather insistent, aren’t you? How exactly do you plan on doing that?” Yuri asked as he sat up to wrap his arms around her waist. He looked up at her and saw her slight hesitation.

“There is… something that I want to try,” Byleth muttered.

Her hands gently tugged at the waistband of his smallclothes. Yuri flashed her a knowing look before lifting up his hips, allowing Byleth to tug it down his legs. She threw it onto the floor before shifting around to remove her panties. He watched as Byleth reached down to take his hardened cock in her hand.

Yuri let out a small moan as Byleth gently pumped his cock, her thumb teasing the head by smearing the bead of precum that formed. She watched his every reaction, seeing what he liked the most. She was observant as always.

It wasn’t long before she was removing her hand and Yuri tried not to show his disappointment. It immediately faded the moment he saw Byleth lifting her hips, positioning her cunt over his cock. She bit her lip as she slowly rolled her hips. Yuri seized her hips with both hands, keeping her steady.

“Is this what you had in mind?” Yuri whispered before he was letting out a small grown as Byleth began to sink down on his cock. She could only let out a weak nod before moaning, allowing herself to sink all the way down. Yuri tried his hardest to keep his breathing steady. He had done this so many times with different people, all with faces he wouldn’t dare remember. 

He wouldn’t remember them, not with the way Byleth was squeezing him in her warmth. He felt like he could drown and burn simultaneously in this embrace. He didn’t want it to end. Yuri gave her a moment to recollect herself. He watched her lift her hips up all the way before coming back down and it was in that moment that Yuri had allowed himself to be lost in the sensation.

It wasn’t long before Byleth had begun to pick up the pace, and Yuri wanted the both of them to reach the edge together. He lifted his hips up to meet her thrusts, and Byleth let out a loud moan.

“Hey...!” She tried to keep her surprise to a minimum.

“You really think I would let you do all the work?” Yuri’s voice came out rougher than he anticipated, but he ignored it. All he could focus on was the way Byleth’s hips were crashing into his and the sound of her moans as she not only chased after her own pleasure, but Yuri’s as well.

Byleth intended to shut him up by weaving her fingers into his hair and brought him into a desperate kiss. Her other arm was slung over his shoulder as her fingers splayed themselves across his back. Yuri kept one hand on her hip before bringing the other to gently caress the large scar on her back.

She broke the kiss and threw her head back. Yuri could tell she was getting rather close to the edge, and he was too.

“Will you cum for me, Byleth?” He asked in a husky tone as he thrusted his hips up with enough force to knock the breath out of her. 

“Yuri--”

“Will you cry out my name like you’ve done so many times tonight?”

“Yuri, please--” She nearly sobbed.

He was so desperate to see Byleth come undone, so desperate to hear her cry out in pleasure. Yuri’s thrusts came harder, ramming into Byleth with all the strength he could muster. He could feel her cunt squeezing around him and he watched up to see Byleth’s face contort in pure pleasure before she tipped over the edge.

Yuri leaned up to kiss her, capturing her moan with his lips before he felt his own end coming. It was rare when he allowed him to cum, to allow himself the pleasure of letting go with another person. He would allow himself that desire if only to satisfy Byleth even more. With one final thrust, Yuri let out a low moan as he allowed himself to finish.

He felt how Byleth’s body shuddered as she felt herself being filled with his cum. A weak gasp fell from her lips as she went languid in his arms, resting her forehead against his shoulder. Yuri turned his head to press a kiss to the crown of her head, running circles on her back with his thumb. Another rare occurrence where he was able to bask in the afterglow with his partner. It would seem that the goddess was allowing him to indulge in happiness once more.

He hissed through his teeth as he slowly lifted Byleth off of his softening cock, smiling slightly at the whimper she let out. Both of them were covered in a sheen of sweat. Slowly, he laid down on the mattress and moved over to make space for Byleth.

She immediately wrapped her arms around him, nuzzling into his chest. His hand moved up to move Byleth’s bangs out of her eyes. There was an emotion swirling deep with her dark green eyes that he couldn’t pin down. It bothered Yuri that he was not able to read her. Byleth weakly lifted her head up to press a kiss to his neck.

“Stay tonight, won’t you?” She whispered as one of her fingers ran down his chest. “It’s been rather difficult these past few moons…”

Yuri brought her closer, her body pressed flushed up against his side. He leaned down to kiss her forehead. “I wouldn’t dare leave,” He shook his head before reaching for the blanket and pulling it over their bodies.

Tonight, Yuri would allow himself to be by Byleth’s side.

***

He woke up to someone gently running their fingers through his hair and an unfamiliar tune being hummed. His dazed mind barely had the power to process the tune as the same song Byleth was singing in the cathedral the night before, and Yuri slowly opened his eyes. The morning sun had yet to filter through the curtains. The entire room was still.

“You’re awake,” Byleth’s voice filled his ears.

Yuri noticed that Byleth was sitting up in her bed, and his face was nestled in the crook of her neck. He weakly brought a hand up to move the mint green hairs that were tickling his nose. Yuri wasn’t used to being embraced in such warmth. Perhaps he could get used to this.

“You don’t have to move. It’s still pretty early in the morning. Seteth won’t be looking for me for another two hours,” She whispered as her fingers continued to comb through Yuri’s hair. “I… must admit, I’m not used to this. Waking up next to someone is new, especially if it’s someone I’ve come to care for so much. It’s nice.”

“Did you sleep well?” Yuri asked her as he closed his eyes once more, burying his face deeper into the crook of her neck. A small giggle ran throughout Byleth’s body.

“That tickles,” She said breathlessly. “To answer your question, he didn’t appear last night. I think you scared him away.”

Yuri smiled against her skin. “Good.”

They fell into a comfortable silence. The entire setting felt purey domestic. Yuri wondered if Byleth felt the same way.

“Yuri, can I tell you something?” She asked after a few moments of silence.

“Of course, Byleth.”

“I love you.”

Yuri’s eyes flashed open at the statement and he quickly lifted his head to look Byleth right in the eyes. They were widened with surprise at his sudden movement, her lips slightly parted. His eyebrow furrowed as one hand grasped her chin.

“Byleth, did I hear that right?” He asked in a nearly desperate tone, searching her eyes for a sign that she was lying. She wasn’t. His eyes widened as her lips formed into a small smile.

“I love you,” She said firmly.

Damn, Yuri could feel the waterworks coming again. He looked up at the ceiling to prevent any tears from coming again. 

“Gods, Byleth,” Yuri shook his head before looking into her eyes; eyes full of love and adoration for him and only him. “I love you too.”

Her hand found its way to the back of his neck and Yuri’s being pulled into a kiss. He leaned his head to the side as they kissed, taking it slower than they had been the night before. Byleth pulled back with a small laugh.

“Stay a little longer,” She said as she pressed a kiss to his neck. Yuri nearly let out a sound of surprise as he was pushed onto his back with Byleth crawling on top of him. “Please...”

Yuri could never say no to those pleading eyes that wouldn’t dare lie to him.

***

The march to Enbarr was scheduled at the end of the Garland Moon. In two weeks, the Resistance Army would make their way to the palace, and in doing so, strike down emperor Edelgard, leading to the end of the war. Preparations were intense; Yuri barely had the chance to see Byleth aside from war councils and the nights he would sneak into her room.

During one of their war councils, they were discussing how they would position the units at Enbarr.

“No, that would leave too many openings,” Byleth shook her head at the circled area on the map. “We would be stuck between two walls. It’s a tight area where we cannot risk being run over by enemies.”

“I can’t think of any other places to place our units, professor,” Seteth let out a sigh of frustration. “We cannot place everyone at the entrance. We need to have others on the other side of the city to cover ground.”

“If I may interrupt,” Yuri cleared his throat as everyone turned to look at him. “I’m rather familiar with Enbarr, and I happen to know a secret entrance near the marketplace.” He stood up and walked over to where Byleth and Seteth hovered over the map. Byleth handed him a pencil and watched with an intense gaze. He circled the area close to the back of the market stalls. “If pulled off correctly, there’s the possibility we can catch the enemies on this side of the city off-guard…”

Byleth examined the area before her eyes widened, a large smile making its way across her face. She looked at Yuri with a determined look. “I think that might actually work.”

In truth, Yuri had proposed the idea with a greater scheme in mind. The back entrance was merely a catalyst that only needed to be approved by Byleth before he could continue any further. His plan was with the intention to turn the tides of battle in their favor should the Imperial army call in reinforcements when they least expected it.

They needed more manpower. And if his sources were true, he knew that the people he intended to call in wouldn’t hesitate to help their former professor, who was fighting for a cause that they all believed in. With their leaders dead, there was only one other person they could rely on. The former students of the Blue Lions and the Golden Deer... 

He looked over at Ashe and Lorenz. Both of them gave him a small nod in return. Yuri did his best to hide his smirk.

All was going according to plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay as much as I love reading smut, it is so fucking hard for me to write it. I'm not sure why??? If you're wondering why it took a bit for me to publish this chapter it's because I kept stalling on the smut LMAO. I hope it was up to your satisfaction; the last time I wrote smut was such a long time ago so I'm a bit rusty. 
> 
> This story is so close to being done! I'm just about ready to start another one (calm yourself Lei!). I put this into a series because fuck, if you think I'm just doing one fic for Yurileth you're completely wrong. I have a shit ton of ideas that need to be let out. I've already started writing chapter 5, and a bit of chapter 6 as well. My schoolwork might have been building up despite me not actually being in school, but I'll do my best to get the last two chapters out soon!
> 
> Once again, thank you all for the overwhelming amount of support for this story. It means so much to me. I hope you all have a wonderful morning/afternoon/evening. <3
> 
> Edit: I made a Twitter! Go follow me @hautecleres


	5. truths asunder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her mind began to spin. The only Heroes Relic that she touched was the Sword of the Creator. Her curiosity began to build up. Slowly, she reached out for Aymr and rested her hand on its handle…
> 
> Byleth’s breath caught in her throat as Aymr reacted to her touch and the familiar red glow that all Heroes Relics emitted when wielded by its descendant struck out like a beacon in the rain. And just like the Sword of the Creator, the head of Aymr moved ominously, as if it was alive. Byleth narrowed her eyes before removing her hand. She looked at Areadbhar and did the same thing, watching as the weapon reacted to her touch and came alive. The same happened for when she touched Failnaught. Her head was spinning with even more questions. Byleth always thought that a Heroes Relic would only be wielded with its corresponding crest. 
> 
> Was there something she was missing?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings(s): Brief mentions of blood, character deaths.
> 
> Also a quick note before we begin. This chapter focuses more on plot and there's very little romantic stuff and I apologize. :'( 
> 
> This chapter is more of a buildup to what will happen in the next and final chapter. I hope you still enjoy the chapter despite there not being that much romantic tidbits going on.

Enbarr, the Imperial capital. It was a city that held the entirety of Fódlan's ancient beginnings. And today, the Resistance Army was about to crush that history to dust.

The main forces of the Resistance Army prepared to invade at the entrance of the city. Byleth overlooked the preparations, keeping a cool facade despite how anxious she felt on the inside. Her scouts had returned after surveying the battlefield. Mages, archers, and brawlers were placed strategically at fire orbs and ballistas which proved to be worrisome for their huge range. Byleth knew they would have to be taken out quickly before things got ugly.

Flying Demonic Beasts were present. It was likely that more would appear as reinforcements. The Death Knight was stationed at the center of the city. It would be one final clash that would lead to his death, and Byleth would make sure that the last thing he would see was her sword cutting into his flesh. And at the gates of the Imperial Palace, Hubert was waiting for her.

Byleth could see him now. The hatred that would burn deeply in his eyes once she confronted him. He would speak of how she should've been disposed of at an earlier time and the betrayal that she imposed on both him and Edelgard. It was an inevitable encounter. It was a professor's duty to punish those who strayed from the wrong path.

"Professor?" Ferdinand approached her with a furrowed brow. "I have an urgent report."

"What is it, Ferdinand?" Byleth looked over at him, leaning in a bit closer to hear what he had to say.

He looked around before leaning in as well, a small smile on his face. "Our scouts have confirmed that Yuri, Petra, Shamir, Seteth, and Alois were able to sneak into the back entrances of the market. They are ready to attack at your signal."

A knowing smirk made its way onto Byleth's face. Now that Yuri and the others were able to position themselves close to the marketplace, their army would be able to cover the entire battlefield.

"I see. Thank you for the report, Ferdinand. Steel yourself. The battle shall begin shortly."

"Yes, professor." Byleth watched as the newly promoted Wyvern Lord made his way to his battle station. A frown made its way onto her face. She knew that Ferdinand harbored conflicting feelings for Hubert even before Edelgard had turned their back on them. She wondered what was going through his mind.

Her attention turned to the northwest side of the city. Her eyebrow furrowed, thinking back to their arrival to Enbarr. Byleth's interaction with Yuri a few hours prior was nothing short of being discreet.

_"Yuri."_

_He trailed behind as the other units stationed with him continued onward. Byleth made her way towards him. Her Enlightened One robes trailed behind her in golden ribbons as she approached the Trickster. One hand rested on the handle of the Sword of the Creator._

_"Whatever do you need, Professor?" He quirked an eyebrow at her despite the teasing smile that tugged at his lips._

_They were out in the open. They had interacted many times in front of others, but the details of their relationship still remained hidden. Byleth doubted it was still a secret, however, considering the knowing looks Dorothea had been flashing her the past few weeks. The nickname was nothing more than a stunt to fool others._

_"I just wanted to see you off before you left," Byleth said honestly. "This might be a secret entrance, but there's always the possibility of an ambush on your way there."_

_"If there's anyone that stands in our way, we'll cut them down before they let others know of our presence," Yuri said with confidence as he rested his hands on his hips. "Still though, I appreciate your concern. We'll send a scout once we reach the destination."_

_As he turned around to leave, Byleth quickly reached for his wrist. Yuri looked back at her in confusion._

_There was a small frown on her face. Perhaps she was being too bold, allowing herself to be driven by her emotions. There was no denying the amount of concern that Byleth had, especially considering the risk. There was no telling if Yuri would come out alive or if it would be a success. Still, she had to place her faith in him._

_She looked up at him, becoming keenly aware of how much smaller she was compared to him._

_"Be careful out there."_

_Yuri stared at Byleth for a moment before stepping right in front of her. Her eyes widened at their close proximity. They were never this close in public. She watched as he brought up his hand, hesitating slightly, before reaching forward and tucking several strands of hair behind her ear._

_A small gesture, but enough to show his affection nonetheless._

_"I will, Byleth," Yuri said low enough for only the two of them to hear. It was enough to make her unbeating heart skip a beat._

_She let go of his wrist. Byleth nodded at him before Yuri turned around and followed after the other soldiers. Her grip tightened around the handle of the Sword of the Creator._

_All Byleth could do at this point was to believe in Yuri._

She shook her head before walking towards her troops. Byleth unsheathed the Sword of the Creator as she stood at the front of the army.

"Our main goal is to capture the capital and to storm the palace!" Byleth shouted loud enough for her troops to hear. "Comrades, today we shall claim victory for all of Fódlan. The Goddess has willed for us to clash swords on this battlefield today."

Byleth took a deep breath before pointing her sword at the Imperial Palace. In an instant, she donned the mask of the Ashen Demon. She couldn't risk losing her life on the battlefield today. There were too many people depending on her.

"Resistance Army, to battle!"

***

It was rare for Byleth to don her Ashen Demon persona considering how she changed in the course of five years. However, when it came down to it, she was willing to slip back into the persona if only to trick her enemies into her traps.

She cut down an enemy brawler before briefly looking over to the other side of the city. She could briefly make out the silhouettes of Petra and Shamir before the cry of a Wyvern tore through the sky, and she was able to see Seteth making his way to the archer stationed at the ballista. An immediate threat already taken care of.

Byleth took a step back as one of the flying Demonic Beasts tried to attack her. She muttered a spell underneath her breath before flicking her wrists toward the creature. A bolt of lightning reigned down on the beast, and she watched as Bernadetta dealt the final blow with her bow.

She was sure she looked like a walking corpse. The battle was a bloody endeavor. Byleth had never cut down so many enemies in the span of a few hours. Just during that battle she cut off the head of another flying Demonic Beast. She was able to escape being crushed by its large body, but she was soaked in a rain of its blood. She nearly threw up from the strong stench of blood, but continued on with the battle nonetheless. Ashen Demon, indeed. Perhaps she would take a dip into the canal before facing Edelgard.

"The Death Knight is on the move!" Ferdinand shouted from the sky.

Byleth had not expected him to move this early on.

"Avoid combat with him! He is out for my blood!" Byleth alerted her soldiers. She frantically looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of that deathly Scythe who had claimed too many lives. Her eyes widened as the sound of galloping pounded in her ears, and she quickly turned around. She brought the Sword of the Creator up to parry the blow.

"You!" Her eyes narrowed at the Death Knight as his trusted stallion jumped back. He carried his scythe with both hands. Beneath that ghastly mask was none other than Jertiza von Hyrm, the original weapons instructor and Flayn's kidnapper. He had fled too many times before. This time, Byleth would cut him down.

"Ah, it is time to see who shall meet their end…" The Death Knight said. "Whose blood will be spilled? Yours… or mine? I cannot wait to find out."

She barely had time to prepare before the Death Knight was launching himself at her. Byleth expertly dodged the frantic blows of his scythe. The ongoing conflict surrounding them became a blur as the two of them became engrossed in their dance of death. One of them would come out alive. The other would meet their bloody end. It was a fight Byleth wouldn't dare lose. Byleth had failed to take her surroundings into account, and as she backed away to dodge another fatal blow, her feet bumped into the corpse of a fallen soldier.

All of the breath was knocked out of Byleth as she felt herself falling to the ground. The Sword of the Creator skidded a few feet away as she fell flat on her back. The Death Knight lifted his scythe as he approached her slowly.

"Professor!" Dorothea's scream nearly echoed throughout the city.

Byleth was nearly prepared to feel the scythe digging into her neck. The impact never came. Instead, a shining beacon of light appeared before the Death Knight. He was visibly surprised and didn't have time to react before he was engulfed in the light. His stallion cried out in pain as he tried his best to recover from the blow. With all of her strength, Byleth quickly recovered the Sword of the Creator and stood up. She ran at the Death Knight with full force. In her peripheral vision, she saw several enemy soldiers try to stop her assault but they were either stopped in their tracks with a flurry of arrows, spells, or spears. Those attacks did not come from her army. It immediately became an afterthought, however.

Letting out a battle cry, Byleth lunged herself at the Death Knight. She didn't give him a moment to react as she gripped the Sword of the Creator with both hands. It emitted it's eerie red glow before she swung it forward. The impact was straight on his chest. She expertly landed back on the ground as she heard the Death Knight fall with a loud thud. In an instant, their conflict was over.

Dorothea and Linhardt were rushing towards her, the latter muttering a healing spell underneath his breath.

"That spell…" Byleth said breathlessly as Dorothea rubbed at her skin with a wet cloth. "It was Abraxas. But how…?" None of her former students knew that powerful Faith spell. She could only think of two other mages that were capable of learning that spell, but they were not in her army.

"Professor, look!" Bernadetta shouted. "Resistance Army flags, coming from the east and west of the city!"

"What?"

She had never stationed any of her soldiers in the east or west. Byleth watched as the Resistance Army flags came into view from both sides of the city. It all came to her once she saw Ashe approaching from the west and Lorenz from the east. Trailing behind them were the former students of the Blue Lions and Golden Deer houses.

It explained why the two of them had asked to return to their respective homelands before the expedition to Enbarr. They were gathering more manpower. She could barely process the sight before her. Their strength would be a tremendous help in conquering Enbarr.

A large smile made its way onto her face. She proudly held up the Sword of the Creator as the tip pointed towards the sky. 

"More power? We will gladly accept your help!" She exclaimed before swinging it towards the palace. "For the fallen! For the living! The Resistance Army shall not falter! For all of Fódlan, we shall claim victory!"

Byleth felt a surge of pride at the battle cries that all of the former students of Garreg Mach let out.

***

Hubert was loyal to a fault. Even in his dying moments, he believed that Edelgard would prevail. Byleth had to commend him for putting so much faith in Edelgard. She let out a deep breath before turning her body towards the army with a proud smile on her face. They had claimed domain over Enbarr. It was only a matter of time before they would face Edelgard.

In a matter of hours the size of her army tripled. It still baffled her that Ashe and Lorenz had pulled this scheme behind her back.

v"We didn't come up with the plan, professor," Ashe claimed as he shook his head.

"Indeed. It was Yuri who proposed the idea to us," Lorenz said.

Byleth whipped her head around towards Yuri, who gave her a small smile on return. He shrugged as he sheathed his silver sword.

"My sources never fail me, professor," Yuri said proudly as he looked towards their new comrades. "I saw the opportunity present itself before me and I took the chance. In the end, the battle has worked in our favor and now we have a bigger army."

"You sneaky little bastard," Byleth teased him as she playfully pushed his shoulder.

It was an odd little reunion. Here they were about to face off against Edelgard, and despite the gravity of the situation, old friends sought to catch up with one another. Like her Eagles, the Lions and Deers had all grown up, hardened by the horrors of war. In moments like these, however, she saw the familiar youth of those happy-go-lucky students from five years ago. Maybe a bit too sentimental on her part, but she cherished the thought. Dimitri, Dedue, and Claude were missing from the flock. She tried not to think about it too much.

"Professor," Hilda called out to her with Marianne trailing behind her. Byleth noticed that she was carrying something in her arms. "Before you guys advance further, I have something to give you."

Hilda held out the bow, Failnaught. If memory serves Byleth correctly, it belonged to House Riegen. 

"Claude wanted me to give this to you," Hilda told her as Byleth took the bow in her arms. "Something about how it wouldn't help him all that much in Almyra, but it would help you in the battle against Edelgard."

"Wait, you mean to tell me that Claude is still alive?" Byleth's eyes widened at her words.

"Yes," the pink-haired warrior nodded. "He was heavily wounded in the Battle at Gronder, and had decided to withdraw from the Alliance altogether. All I know is that he had traveled to Almyra. As for why he went to Almyra, I can't say."

"I see," Byleth's lips pressed into a firm line. "Thank you, Hilda. I trust that you guys will be able to watch over Enbarr while we confront Edelgard?"

"Don't worry about us, professor," Marianne cut in with a determined look on her face. Byleth was glad to see that she had gained more confidence over the years. "We will manage."

As the duo walked away to tend to their duties, Ingrid, Sylvain, and Felix made their way towards her. She flashed them a sad smile as Sylvain held out a lance that wasn't his own.

Areadbhar, the lance that belonged to House Blaiddyd. Byleth took the lance and could only nod at them. There was no need for them to exchange words. The trio had lost a childhood friend and their homeland was on the verge of collapse. No words could mend the scars that had already formed on their hearts.

Holding the two Heroes Relics in her hands, Byleth came to understand Dimitri's and Claude's motives. To seek revenge for the fallen and to end the war in hopes that Fódlan will meet a new dawn… In an instant, Byleth was carrying their will within her. She couldn't risk losing.

Yuri rested a hand on her shoulder and gave her a small smile.

"Come now, Byleth," He said quietly before squeezing her shoulder affectionately. "It's time we end this war."

***

Yuri was used to confronting people. As a gang leader, he had grown used to the strain of cutting down those he thought he could trust. This was no different. Here he was, standing before the Emperor of the Adrestian Empire, and the sole instigator of the entire war. Her back was turned to him.

"Rather bold of you to come alone," Edelgard spoke up. The battle raged on behind them, but Yuri paid no mind to it. He knew it wouldn't be long before Byleth would be assisting him. "Though I suppose the Savage Mockingbird has a habit of carrying things out alone."

"Perhaps," Yuri said as he narrowed his eyes.

She let out a chuckle. "We relate in that aspect, you and I. The both of us would dare take the leap of faith if it meant doing so alone." Edelgard hoisted her axe up as she turned around to face him.

"I would rather not be compared to the likes of you," He nearly hissed. The Fetters of Dromi that adorned his right hand nearly burned him with its bright red glow, nearly pulsating with the anger that surged through Yuri.

"Of course," Edelgard frowned. "Because unlike me, you have the professor on your side. Such a shame…" She shook her head. "I tried so hard to make the professor mine," Edelgard's voice edged despair. "But the moment she met you, I saw the look in her eyes and she was completely enamored by you. I knew I couldn't stand a chance. To think, my dear teacher fell from my grasp in an instance. And it was all because of you."

Yuri knew exactly what she was talking about. It was a month after him and the other Ashen Wolves decided to join the Black Eagles classroom. He saw the look in Edelgard’s eyes, how she desperately ached for the professor to acknowledge her for more than just being the Imperial heir and their class leader. More than anything, Edelgard was constantly vying for Byleth’s attention, whether she realized it or not. 

And then Yuri and his wolves had popped into the picture, and Edelgard was not pleased. He was always skeptical of her from the beginning, even after being fairly acquainted with the rest of the group that came down to Abyss all those years. When he and Byleth spent time together during the Academy days, he felt Edelgard’s gaze burn deep into the back of his head. Yuri nearly pitied her. But he wouldn’t dare pity the woman who willfully turned her back both on Byleth and the church. 

"Rather bold statement coming from your royal lips, your Majesty," Yuri jeered as he pointed his sword at her. "Enough talk, Edelgard. It's time to end this now."

There was an intense fire in her eyes. Edelgard spoke no words before she swung Aymr forward. Yuri quickly dodged it before he ran at her. He swung his sword only for Edelgard to quickly block the attack with her shield. She pushed him back, but Yuri gracefully regained his footing.

"I wonder," she huffed out as Yuri's sword clashed with Aymr, "had the professor sided with me instead, would you have turned against her?" Yuri felt himself growing angry at the question. She smirked. "You served Rhea, after all. You would have saved your own tail instead of following the professor."

"I don't dwell on what-ifs, Edelgard," Yuri told her through clenched teeth as he finally managed to get a hit on her. She stumbled back from the blow. "What matters is that Byleth sided with Rhea, and I chose to fight for her cause!"

"You're just like the rest, looking away from the truth that has presented itself before your very eyes!" Edelgard yelled as she lifted Aymr and swiftly brought it down. Yuri's breath got caught in his throat. He wasn't sure if he could block such a heavy attack. The thought was immediately discarded as Byleth was suddenly in front of him. Without looking back, she pushed on his abdomen and Yuri stumbled back as he watched Byleth block the blow.

Edelgard pulled back. Byleth let out a huff as she recovered. It was a tough battle for the both of them. For Edelgard, who was forced to walk her path alone; and for Byleth, who was forced to cut down her own student once more. Fódlan would not know peace until one of them met their end.

"So you have come, my teacher," Edelgard flashed her a pained smile.

"I've come to cut you down, Edelgard," Byleth said. Yuri couldn't see her face, but he reckoned that her lips were pressed into a thin line.

"Even if you did, I would do whatever it took to continue on my path. Even if my arms and legs failed me, if I must crawl, I will do whatever it takes," the Emperor sighed almost wistfully. "It's a shame, my teacher. I never wanted to cross weapons with you. But now…"

"There's no need to tell me, Edelgard," Byleth said full of regret. "The feeling is mutual."

In Edelgard's eyes, Yuri could see the pain she had endured over the years. Edelgard didn't want to cross swords with Byleth. In fact, if he didn't know any better, he would've thought that Edelgard harbored feelings for her. But in an instant, the pain had disappeared, instead replaced with her hardened resolve.

"Very well," Edelgard nodded before hoisting Aymr up once more. "We shall see who will come out victorious. Come at me with everything you got, my teacher!"

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Edelgard!"

It was a trying battle between the two. Yuri didn't dare interfere. He could only respectfully look away as it all came to an end, and he could hear Edelgard begging for Byleth to kill her, and to continue walking the path that she cut for herself.

His eyes clenched tight at the sickening thud of the Sword of the Creator meeting Edelgard's head, her words immediately dying with her.

***

It was foolish to think that Edelgard's death would end the war. The external conflict above ground had ended. However, there was an internal conflict that needed to be dealt with before Fódlan would know true peace. 

“Those who slither in the dark…” Byleth spoke before frowning. She looked down at the three Heroes Relics that were laid out before her. Areadbhar, Failnaught, and now Aymr. Byleth’s fist clenched tight at the sight. She knew there were only so many people that one could save before one huge sacrifice would be made. For the lives of the other students to be spared in exchange for the house leaders made her sick to her stomach. Claude might have fled for Almyra, but she wouldn’t know the next time they would meet.

The sky grew dark as clouds drew in and suddenly it was raining. Byleth looked up as her clothes started to get soaked. She had come out to the forest with no one, carrying only the Sword of the Creator and the three Heroes Relics with her. She needed time to think, away from the bustle of Garreg Mach. She had so many questions for Rhea, but the former Archbishop was in no state to answer them. That would have to wait until after they went to Shambhala.

She glanced at the Heroes Relics curiously. The houses of the 10 Elites all had one. However, she was told by some of the Imperial soldiers that Aymr was specifically created for Edelgard. Byleth frowned. If it was so easy to craft a Heroes Relic, then what in the world were they, exactly? Then there were the two relics belonging to Aubin and Chevalier. Why did only two apostles have Heroes Relics?

Her mind began to spin. The only Heroes Relic that she touched was the Sword of the Creator. Her curiosity began to build up. Slowly, she reached out for Aymr and rested her hand on its handle…

Byleth’s breath caught in her throat as Aymr reacted to her touch and the familiar red glow that all Heroes Relics emitted when wielded by its descendant struck out like a beacon in the rain. And just like the Sword of the Creator, the head of Aymr moved ominously, as if it was alive. Byleth narrowed her eyes before removing her hand. She looked at Areadbhar and did the same thing, watching as the weapon reacted to her touch and came alive. The same happened for when she touched Failnaught. Her head was spinning with even more questions. Byleth always thought that a Heroes Relic would only be wielded with its corresponding crest. 

Was there something she was missing?

Byleth quickly gathered the weapons in her arms and made a beeline back to Garreg Mach. There was something she had to test out. Anyone that gave her questioning looks was an afterthought as she made her way down to Abyss. The Abysskeeper looked at her oddly, but asked her no questions. Byleth made her way to Yuri’s room and swiftly knocked on his door. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn’t even bother to consider if he was actually there.

But it all went away once his door opened, and Yuri’s face contorted in concern. Ah, right. She was sopping wet. Yuri shook his head as he disappeared into his room and returned at his door with a towel.

“Mind explaining why you’re all wet? And why are you carrying those Heroes Relics around? Seteth was looking for those, you know. He sent a knight down here earlier because he thought we took them,” Yuri told her as she leaned the weapons against the wall and started to dry herself off. Once she was somewhat dry, Yuri allowed her in.

It wasn’t the first time she was in his room. Her room was always for their night meetings, but Byleth went to his room occasionally when she had to discuss battle strategies with him. “I left Garreg Mach for a bit,” Byleth said as she ruffled her hair with the towel. Yuri sat on the edge of his bed and leaned back on his hands. “With everything going on, I just needed to sit down and think without being distracted. Something told me to bring the Heroes Relics, and I snatched them without thinking. But… I don’t think I’ll be returning them anytime soon. Not after what I discovered.”

“What do you mean?” Yuri queried as he raised an eyebrow. Byleth laid the towel on his chair and looked back at him.

“Do you mind if I see the Fetters of Dromi real quick?” She said, almost breathless. “There’s something I need to see.” He looked at her in confusion. Byleth narrowed her eyes at him. “If you think I’m kidding then you’re wrong.”

“I didn’t think you were kidding, but it is an odd request,” Yuri got up and walked over to his desk. He opened one of the drawers and reached into his pocket before pulling out a ring of keys. Ever the secretive one, Yuri kept his belongings locked up in a very intricate way. She watched as he reached deep into the drawer and pulled out the Fetters of Dromi. It was unlike the other Heroes Relics, being able to be worn on his hand instead of being a weapon. It reminded her of the relics of Lamine and Gloucester.

She took the relic and glanced at him. Yuri was watching her intensely, curious to see what she would do. Byleth’s brow furrowed before she slipped the Fetters of Dromi on her left hand.

“What are you--” 

From the corner of her eye, she could see Yuri reaching out his hand. He immediately pulled back once the Fetters of Dromi flashed its familiar red glow. He looked at her in shock.

“Just as I thought,” Byleth nearly whispered as she held her hand up to gaze into the crest stone of Aubin. “The Heroes Relics react to my touch. If I really wanted to, I could wield them in battle.”

“How can that be though? I thought the Heroes Relics were designed to accommodate its specified crest?” Yuri asked in bewilderment. 

“I thought so as well…” Byleth mused as she slipped the Fetters of Dromi off her hand and held it out for him. Yuri took it and hid it away. “Every time I gaze upon the Heroes Relics, I’m constantly reminded of Miklan Gautier. He had turned into a demonic beast. From that alone, I assumed that only its intended crest bearer could wield a Heroes Relic. I’ve seen it when I had Ingrid try to wield the Lance of Ruin. It left behind burn marks.”

Both of them glanced towards the pile of Heroes Relics that was by Yuri’s door.

“And yet, here I am, being able to wield all of them without suffering any burns or fatigue,” Byleth looked Yuri in the eye. She was so confused, trying to understand just exactly who she was. There were so many questions left unanswered, and in turn, there were answers that left her asking even more questions. “I’ve been told that the people Edelgard was working with created Aymr. They were also the ones responsible for giving her the crest of Flames. And they are in Shambhala. Do you think then…?”

“Well, this is certainly unexpected,” Yuri sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. “Byleth, my dove, you know I’m all for making speculations and coming up with schemes, but this definitely takes the cake. Do you mean to tell me that there’s more behind the Heroes Relics than what history has told us?”

The question lingered in the air, and telling by the look in Byleth’s eyes, Yuri didn’t need her to answer.

“Sometimes, I’m surprised at how fast your mind is able to pick up on small details like that,” Yuri shook his head before he was wrapping his arms around Byleth. She yelped in surprise but quickly recovered before returning the hug. “Thinking too much might be the death of you, Byleth. I don’t want to have to write your name again if it means that you get caught up in something that you weren’t supposed to know.”

Byleth pulled back to look at him with a frown. Yuri had told her before about a notebook he had kept dearly over the years, replacing the one from his youth. He told her that the notebook was full of names of people who had passed away.

_’If no one is able to remember who they are, their memory will be lost forever. Even if I’m the only one who remembers them, that’s enough for me.’_

He let it slip that he speculated that she had died before miraculously returning to them. In an instant, the mood drastically changed.

“Yuri, I’m not leaving you again,” Byleth’s arms tightened around him, their chests pressing against each other. “Not now, not ever.” She brought a hand up and gently laced her fingers into Yuri’s hair before leaning in to press her forehead to his. Byleth looked into his eyes. 

“There’s just that… small fear inside of me, you know?” Yuri’s voice dropped to a whisper as he moved his hands to her lips, pulling her in closer. “It was lonely the past five years, keeping up appearances around the Wolves and the inhabitants of Abyss. It took me awhile to accept the fact that you weren’t coming back. And then…” His fingers dug into her hips.

“I know,” Byleth said softly before she came to rest a hand on his cheek. “But I’m here now, and I’m here to stay.”

She barely had any time to register the feeling of Yuri’s lips against hers, and Byleth closed her eyes as she lost herself in the kiss. They had kissed so many times, and yet it felt different this time around. There was a sense of desperation that pleaded for her to stay. It was almost as if Yuri was asking for proof of her proclamation.

Byleth wrapped her arms around him as Yuri tugged her even closer. Both of them were desperate for the other’s touch. She understood Yuri’s fear. She was scared that something would happen that would cause her to fall into a long slumber once more. But it was useless to dwell on what-ifs, she recalled Yuri saying when he confronted Edelgard. All that mattered was that she was here now, and that was enough for the both of them.

She didn’t realize they were making their way to his bed until the back of her knees hit the mattress and she was falling, Yuri following after her. He broke away to trail kisses down her neck.

“Yuri--”

“Artorias.”

Byleth blinked and looked up to meet Yuri’s gaze as he pulled away from her neck. She looked at him in confusion.

“What?”

He hesitated. “Five years ago, you asked if Yuri was my real name. In fact, it’s not. It’s Artorias.”

She stared up at him before smiling. When they first met, Byleth would have never anticipated that they would form the bond they had now. And yet, here he was, opening up more with every passing day, and Byleth couldn’t be happier.

“Artorias…” The name was new on her tongue. However, the look in his eyes as Byleth spoke his real name for the first time told her he craved to hear it even more. He was kissing her again, and every now and then she would breathlessly moan his name.

Indeed, Byleth would grow accustomed to it in time.

***

The Sword of the Creator was an extension of her body. When she would perform Sublime Heaven against a horde of enemies, she could feel every whip and snap of her blade. Her enemies would fly before her like petals in the wind. In a short amount of time Areadbhar, Aymr, and Failnaught had all become an extension of her body as well. With every thrust of Areadbhar, with every swing of Aymr, with every arrow launched by Failnaught, Byleth reached a new sense of understanding. 

In Areadbhar, Dimitri’s desire for revenge to please the dead; in Aymr, Edelgard’s hardened resolve to follow her path; in Failnaught, Claude’s wish to break down Fodlan’s walls. With the Heroes Relics, Byleth carried their will into battle. Wielding all three in battle, along with the Sword of the Creator, was exhilarating. Byleth never craved power all that much but being able to wield other Heroes Relics gave her an adrenaline rush she’s never experienced before.

She gave Yuri a sideways glance before launching another arrow from Failnaught before they continued their infiltration of Shambhala. The entire city was nothing they have seen before. It contained technology that was far more advanced than Fódan’s. Perhaps if they were able to contain those who slither in the dark, they could learn a thing or two from them. But then again, with how relentless they were in sending reinforcements and those giant machines of metal, it seemed unlikely.

“Their leader is hidden,” Byleth huffed as she thrusted Areadbhar forward, hitting a mage in their stomach. They fell to the ground with no resistance. “I can sense him… His presence… The same man who pushed me off the cliff with dark magic.”

“He certainly likes to hide behind his lackeys then. An absolute coward,” Yuri sidestepped before lashing out to an enemy dark knight. “Mercedes and Ignatz have reported that two of the enemy’s generals have been struck down. I doubt he could just hide around for long with his commanders down.”

Byleth narrowed her eyes as she felt a sudden shift in the battlefield. Someone had joined the fray, and they were keeping their presence well-hidden. She concentrated her efforts into tracking their presence. And it was coming from right behind…

“Yuri!” She yelled out his name frantically before suddenly the same man that made her disappear for all those years appeared a few feet away from Yuri. The man-- Thales, from what their enemies had muttered before falling to their deaths-- gathered dark magic between his two hands before shooting it out. Yuri barely had any time to react before the dark magic was colliding with his body. The impact was nearly explosive. The blast caused Yuri to be blasted back, and his body was colliding with the wall.

Byleth clenched her teeth. She had run out of Divine Pulses just a few moments prior when one of their giant machines took out Ashe and Raphael. There was so much blood; she couldn’t bear the sight. And Byleth, knowing they still had families to return to, used the last of her power to reverse time to save their lives.

In the corner of her eye, Constance and Hapi rushed over on their trusted stallions. It pained her that she couldn’t be the one to check on him, but as they looked over at her, Byleth nodded. Knowing that she could trust the two of them to look after Yuri, she returned her attention to their leader.

“So you have come before me, Fell Star,” Thales spoke slowly.

“I’ve been called that before,” Byleth swallowed as she pulled out the Sword of the Creator and pointed it at him. “Just what exactly does the name ‘Fell Star’ come from? What exactly are the Heroes Relics? Why did you use Edelgard and Lysithea for such gruesome experiments? Answer my questions, Thales!”

Her yells echoed throughout the underground city. It was as if all the fighting had ceased, and the only sounds came from her labored breathing and the ringing in her ears.

“You know full well just who you are,” Thales smirked at her. “You are Sothis’s vessel. Surely you have come to understand your potential. You, who is able to turn back time and wield all of the Heroes Relics. The Fell Star, who has foolishly followed what that damned Immaculate One wanted. Us Argarthans want nothing more than to dispel the beasts who live above ground, and reclaim our lost glory!”

“Is that why Edelgard has started this pointless war? You used her!” Byleth spat. 

“Our long held ambitions would have been fulfilled if you didn’t stand in our way,” He shook his head. He stepped back before kneeling, resting his hand on the ground. Byleth’s blood ran cool as the sigil flashed before him. “I shall dispose of all of you now!”

“Resistance Army, retreat!” Byleth yelled and the chaos of war had resumed. She looked at Thales fiercely. It was a mess. Just like at Fort Merceus, a beacon of light had appeared, opening up a hole in the ceiling. More beacons of light were coming, and Byleth had to stop him before they were all annihilated. They have come too far for this.

A roar tore through the air, and Byleth looked up to see a white beast flying in the sky, blocking the beacons of light. This was her chance. Byleth lunged forward, ignoring the yells and cries of her comrades for her retreat. Her eyes shut tight.

_’Artorias, I’m sorry.’_

The world was crumbling around her, but Byleth didn’t care. She let out a resounding battle cry before bringing her judgement down upon Thales. He fell to the ground, gurgling out nonsense.

The smirk on his face worried her.

“Goodbye now, Fell Star.”

His body was crushed by a large boulder. Byleth barely had any time to process her surroundings before another roar rang out. She looked up, a boulder falling right above her, and suddenly the entire world went dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two things. One, I did not choose the name Artorias from Fate/Grand Order. Two, his name also didn't come from Dark Souls. I literally came up with his name on a whim and thought, "Yes. That shall be his name."
> 
> Another thing. I know that in the game, technically anyone with a crest can wield the Heroes Relics. However, I don't really like that idea and decided to change it up. In my opinion, Byleth should be the only one to be able to wield all of the Heroes Relics because she bears the crest of Flames and, well, you know. She's practically Sothis reincarnate so I like the idea that only the Goddess is able to fully harness the power of all relics. (IMO Heroes Relics should be used only by those who have the actual crest, but I digress.)
> 
> I'm a bit nervous because I realized that halfway while writing this I strayed more into plot and I'm not sure how most of you will feel about that. Usually I feel good about what I put out but for some reason I just feel like this chapter is lacking compared to the others? I don't know,,, maybe it's just me.
> 
> Anyways. We're almost to the end!! I'm sad that this journey is coming to an end so soon, but don't worry. I have other Yurileth stories in the works! There's also a possible sequel already planned... ;)
> 
> I finally made a Twitter account! It is the same as my handle on here, @hautecleres. (I apologize for all of my retweets in advance lol.)
> 
> Anyways, I hope that all of you have a wonderful morning/afternoon/evening!
> 
> Edit: I'm a dummy and mixed up Solon and Thales. I have fixed the error.


	6. in you, i found the world

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He glanced around the battlefield, trying to make out the familiar waves of green before a familiar _crack_ of a whip echoed through the air. He tilted his head up. Just several feet away, Byleth had turned the Sword of the Creator into its other form, and she swiftly brought her arm up before flinging her wrist in multiple directions. The whip extended far enough to have a dozen of enemies caught up in the storm and she promptly pulled back as their bodies flew up into the air before coming back down.
> 
> Their blood began to rain down and Byleth let out a sound of disgust as some of the blood showered itself upon her. Yuri paused. Perhaps it wasn’t appropriate to think this way considering he was on the battlefield, but he would be damned if he didn’t think that Byleth flawlessly cutting down her enemies before being covered in their blood was a sight to behold. She was in her element in those moments. 
> 
> “Hey, pal, control yourself!” Balthus yelled before slapping Yuri on the back with a bit too much force. “Fight now, think about her later!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are at the last chapter!! I'm actually surprised I was able to churn this out in three days holy shit--
> 
> Enough of me though. I won't keep you waiting in anticipation! (Also, obligatory chapter name is also the same as the name of the work drop.)
> 
> Warning(s): Mentions of blood, character death, suggestive themes.

Byleth hated that she was growing accustomed to the darkness. 

She didn’t know long she had been out. It could be days, weeks, or even years. All Byleth knew was that she was swimming in the boundless sea of darkness, one that she had grown all too familiar with in the past five years.

She moved her arms and legs. Good, they were still intact. She touched her face, trying to remember every curve, every bump, every scar. She tried to remember what she looked like. She recalled that she was born with dark blue hair and eyes, and then both turned different shades of green. Why was that though? Why had her hair and eyes changed color?

“You’re certainly doing more thinking. That’s good. At least your consciousness is intact.”

A voice?

Byleth looked around the darkness, trying to find the person that had called out to her. Unfortunately, she was all alone. The voice had sounded familiar though. Just who exactly was it?

“Come now, have you really forgotten me?” The voice chastised her. Ah, it seemed to be reading her thoughts. No point in thinking to herself then.

“Who are you?” Byleth spoke out into the darkness.

“I am you,” the voice said. “I am also the Beginning. I am also the Fell Star. I have many names, you know. But surely you must remember my actual name, yes?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t,” Byleth said regretfully as she shook her head.

“I am offended! I have saved your life multiple times, and this is the thanks I get?” The voice admonished her. Byleth nearly flinched at their tone. “Bah! No matter, I’m sure you will remember in due time. But onto why I’m actually here…”

“This darkness…” Byleth looked around with a frown. “Are you helping me get out of here?”

“Yes. However, there is something I must tell you before you return to the land of the living,” The voice told her. “Your Crest of Flames is special, Byleth. It is what connects the two of us. I may not be a part of you in the land of the living, but deep inside your heart I am with you. The Crest of Flames is your power to wield, Byleth.”

She tilted her head to the side. The voice was so familiar. Even from this small interaction, Byleth felt as if she had interacted with this individual many times. So why did their name slip her mind no matter how desperately she wanted to call out their name?

“You have realized your potential, yes? The power to wield all of the Heroes Relics… That is the power that the Crest of Flames is capable of. The Fell Star who was revived once more… The Beginning who will use their power for the great good. We are one.

“Even though it pains me to think that you have forgotten me, my name will carry on with the creatures of Fódlan. And soon, your name will be said throughout the entire world. You, who will be able to uncover the mysteries of this land. You, who is able to turn back the flow of time. You, who will become dearly loved by the people. It is you who will carry on my legacy.”

Byleth tried to keep up. What was this voice going on about?

“You have many people in Fódlan who are awaiting your return. You’ve only been asleep for a day, but they are desperately waiting for your awakening. Especially that child of Aubin… Something tells me that he will be the first to tap into his potential, just like you. And in time, the other children will tap into their potential as well.”

Child of Aubin… She must be referring to Yuri. But what could she mean by ‘potential’?

Byleth realized that the darkness had begun to illuminate around her, turning into golden particles of light. It engulfed her in a familiar warmth.

“I must send you back to Fódlan now, Byleth. I don’t know when we will meet next, but it was nice to be able to talk to you again.”

“Wait!” Byleth called out, but she started to feel herself stirring.

“Rhea… or rather, Seiros, will explain everything in due time. Please give my humblest apologies to her, as well as Cichol and Cethleann. When you awaken, the fate of Foldan will rest on your shoulders. Byleth, use the Crest of Flames to cut a new dawn for Fódlan.”

As she felt her slipping back into reality and away from the darkness, Byleth remembered something. The voice was still talking, but it began to fade away. A voice she had grown so familiar with in a span of a few months. Her dark green hair and small stature; how could Byleth forget? The Beginning, the Fell Star… It was all coming back to her.

“Wait, Sothis!” Byleth called out her name.

It was a fruitless attempt.

***

When Byleth woke up, her entire body was aching. It felt as if she was on fire, or that needles were prickling her skin. She was sure her body was aching in places that weren’t capable of being sore until now. 

Still, despite her body’s protests, Byleth sat up. Upon further examination, she realized that she was in the infirmary back at Garreg Mach. There was a sharp pounding in her head, and Byleth hissed in pain. Everything was a blur, even her interactions with the darkness nearly forgotten. All she remembered was that she had been asleep for a day. A wave of relief washed over her. At least it wasn’t for another five years.

As sunlight hit her eyes, Byleth squinted and brought a hand up to shield her face from the light. It was morning. She turned away from the window and looked around. It must have been pretty early, considering that Manuela was not in the infirmary yet. And… it seemed that Byleth was the only patient. She looked down at her body. From the looks of it, she didn’t suffer any major injuries.

It must have just been an unlucky coincidence that she knocked out again.

The door to the infirmary swung open, and Byleth nearly jumped up in surprise. In the doorway, Manuela stood there. As she walked in, Byleth noticed that someone else was trailing behind her. Her eyes widened in relief as she watched Yuri walk through the door with Manuela, the latter sending her a smile.

“Professor! You’re awake!” She said before sending a glare towards Yuri. “This man has been bothering me nonstop about your condition! A bit rude to constantly bombard a lady so early in the morning, Yuri.”

“Forgive me, Professor Manuela,” Yuri shook his head. “I was simply worried for our commander.”

“Right,” Manuela said in disbelief. “If you excuse me, I’m going to alert Seteth about the professor.” She turned on her heel and exited the room with her robes trailing behind her. 

Byleth returned her gaze to Yuri, who simply smiled at her. He pulled a chair from the middle of the room and set it next to her bed before taking a seat.

“I’m glad to see you awake, By,” Yuri said as he dropped his mask. “You had us all worried there for a moment. It’s bad enough that Rhea still hasn’t recovered yet, let alone that you were knocked out for the entire trip back to Garreg Mach.”

“I’m sorry,” Byleth mumbled as she tried to move closer to him. Instead, Yuri brought his chair even closer, his knees meeting the edge of the bed. He leaned forward and laced his fingers in her hair, gently tugging Byleth forward as he planted a kiss on her forehead. 

“Hey, you’re awake now, and that’s all that matters to me. Just don’t go running off like that again, okay? You nearly gave me a heart attack.” Yuri smiled at her. “Constance told me that you were able to take out Thales.”

“Yes,” Byleth nodded. “Forgive me, but everything after cutting him down is a blur. What happened to those who slither in the dark? To Shambhala?” 

“Shambhala was destroyed,” Yuri told her as he leaned back in his chair. “Seteth believes that there are remnants of those who slither in the dark lurking around, and dispatched a small unit of the Knights of Seiros to find them. And Rhea…” His lips pursed into a thin line. “I’m not sure if you recall but… five years ago on the day you went missing, there was a white beast flying around the battlefield.”

“Yes, I remember,” She ran a hand through her hair, flinching when her fingers bumped into a tangle. “That same beast was at Shambhala....”

“That white beast was Rhea. Seteth called her the Immaculate One,” He folded his arms against his chest as he continued, “She shielded us from the javelins of light, and she’s ultimately injured. Some believe that she won’t be able to pull through. But if she does wake up, there is one thing she will want to do. Seteth and Flayn were talking about it before we arrived at Shambhala.” 

Yuri looked her dead in the eye. “They want you to become the ruler of Fódlan, Byleth.”

***

_The sky was painted crimson with dashes of marigold. The colors exploded like bursts of fire, an ominous message of their inevitable doom. Byleth overlooked the landscape of Garreg Mach, her lips pursing into a thin line. Imperial soldiers-- thousands of them-- were marching towards the monastery. They were outnumbered. It was only a matter of time before Imperial forces sieged Garreg Mach. An uncertain feeling swelled in her chest at the thought. No, she refused to let Edelgard win this battle._

_She took a step forward before a hand gently rested on her shoulder. Byleth turned her head before Rhea was passing by her. The Archbishop stopped at the edge of the peak before looking back at Byleth._

_“Everybody here, young and old, is in your hands.” She spoke softly._

_Byleth hesitated. She fully knew the implication of Rhea’s words. They had this discussion before Edelgard’s invasion. If the Archbishop were to fall in battle, Rhea’s duties will be handed down to Byleth, the vessel of the progenitor god. She contemplated the thought for a long time, wondering why the duty wouldn’t be handed down to Seteth, or even Flayn. But in that moment, when Rhea locked eyes with her, Byleth came to understand why she was the only one capable of doing so._

_She loosened her grip on the Sword of the Creator and bowed her head in understanding. Rhea only flashed her a smile before Byleth went off to guide the remaining students and staff to safety. Afterwards, everything was a blur. She remembered a ghastly roar echoing throughout the battlefield. Byleth was keeping a constant eye on her students, the ones that were fighting off Imperial soldiers from reaching the defenseless._

_A beast soared through the sky, and Byleth’s gut feeling told her to follow it. She remembered how Yuri tried to tug on her wrist, nearly pleading for her to come with him. Byleth looked past his shoulder to look at her Eagles who were worn thin from the constant fighting. Ferdinand and Caspar’s axes were on the verge of breaking, Petra’s sword threatened to snap in half, Dorothea’s hands suffered burns and blisters from constantly casting Thunder, Bernadetta’s quiver was empty, and Linhardt threw up from pushing himself past his limit in Faith magic._

_Instead of following Yuri, Byleth slipped away from his grasp and followed the white beast. Fódlan's future was resting on her shoulders. She had to end this battle now if it meant that her students never had to use their skills for killing ever again._

_But in the end, she couldn’t escape the inevitable fate that awaited her when she finally reached the Immaculate One..._

***

The memory came back to Byleth as she sought refuge in the Goddess Tower. Although the place was off-limits, Byleth had come up there a multitude of times, as she was sure many others did, when sleep evaded her. It had seen better days, however, as the structure suffered cracks and a few missing bricks here and there. Nevertheless, Byleth’s hand gently rested against a beam as she looked up at the moon.

She had gazed upon the sky many times with her father; it reminded Byleth of their mercenary days. Whether it was when they were traveling through the night or gathered around the campfire in the forest, they gazed upon the sky in silence, relishing the moonlight’s glow. Byleth let out a sigh. She had looked at the moon in hopes that she would find answers, but it would seem that even the stillness of the night evaded her.

Rhea had woken up. She woke up a week after Byleth had recovered and was dispatched from the infirmary. While she continued to rest, Seteth and Flayn implored Byleth to think about Fódlan's future. Yuri was right. They wanted her to become the ruler of Fódlan, and she had no choice but to follow through. 

However, there was one question that continued to eat away at her.

Was she ready to carry the fate of Fódlan on her shoulders?

In truth, she already knew the answer to that question. Byleth took a deep breath as she fidgeted with her mother’s ring. The last remnant of her mother and father. Perhaps it was time to give the ring to the one she loved most, just like Jeralt wanted her to.

“Ah, there you are.”

Byleth instinctively tensed up, her hand wrapping around her mother’s ring and clenching into a fist. Her body relaxed, however, as she recognized the voice. Strong arms wrapped around her waist before gently tugging her closer. Yuri rested his head on her shoulder, leaning in to kiss her cheek. She looked down and noticed that he was wearing his Trickster attire.

“Had to deal with some of my rogues,” Yuri scoffed. “I thought I would visit your room after my business. Turns out the door was wide open and you weren’t there.”

“Sorry,” Byleth said breathlessly as Yuri turned his head to kiss her neck. “I tried sleeping but my brain has been too occupied lately. I needed some fresh air and decided to come here, instead.”

Yuri pulled away and Byleth turned to face him. “This has to do with your meeting with Rhea tomorrow, doesn’t it?”

She gave him a stiff nod. At dusk, Byleth would give Rhea her answer. “I don’t know why I’m… hesitating. I’ve made up my mind a long time ago, and yet there’s a part of me that continues to trail behind.”

“Scared, huh?” Yuri queried. “You’ll be transitioning from the commander of the Resistance Army to the ruler of the United Kingdom of Fódlan. Of course you would be hesitant, no such thing has been done before. The risks are high for someone of your station to be made ruler.”

“Yet Seteth, Flayn, and Rhea insist on it, all because I’m the vessel of the progenitor god,” Byleth muttered as her whole body began to tremble. “How are the people of Fódlan supposed to accept someone that used to be a former mercenary as their ruler? All of the noble houses might have sworn their allegiance, but there are surely remnants of the previous territories that will not follow.” She huffed out in frustration. “Artorias, I… I’m not sure if I’m ready to handle the strain…” Byleth admitted as she looked down at the floor in shame.

Byleth Eisner, the Ashen Demon, the commander of the Resistance Army, was scared to crumble under the weight of others' expectations. She nearly found it pitiful. She shivered as Yuri’s finger trailed along her jawline before resting underneath her chin. She didn’t protest as Yuri tilted her head upwards to look at him. Yuri looked deep into her eyes as if trying to read into the depths of her mind.

“Byleth, what kind of world do you want for everyone?”

The question shocked her. Byleth averted her gaze, the gears turning in her head as she constructed an answer. A world for everyone, including humans and the remaining Nabateans.

“If I were ruler, I would want a world where everyone is treated as equals,” She said slowly. “A world where, no matter your status, you could access basic necessities such as food and medicine. The nobles would have domain over their lands, but ultimately, I would like it for people to rise up and challenge themselves to take over those roles. Free education for all, and equal opportunities no matter their status.” Pride swelled in her chest as she looked up at Yuri and confidently said, “That is the kind of world I want for everyone.”

Yuri pulled his hand away. A moment of silence hung in the air before he was smiling at her. “Do you think that perhaps… there is room for me in that shining world you want to create so badly?”

Byleth blinked at him. “Artorias, of course there is. Why do you ask?”

“Ah, well, perhaps I should get to the point,” Yuri said sheepishly. She watched as he reached into his pocket and presented a silver ring with a small emerald gem. Byleth’s eyes widened. “For a while, I’ve been wondering if our beliefs would line up. You know where I stand on nobles; I detest them with all my being. But to hear you speak so openly about equal opportunities for everyone, a world where no one has to suffer from poverty ever again… I realized that the dream I desperately clung onto for nearly my entire life can finally become a reality.”

She stared at the ring he held in the palm of his hand.

“It’s more than just my dream though. I… Gee, I’m sure I’ve rehearsed this so many times and yet it’s hard to get words out,” Yuri nearly laughed. “I want you to take this ring as a token of my appreciation. You’ve been there for me more times than I can count. This is my repayment to you, and in exchange, I ask that you allow me to stand by your side for as long as I am around.”

The implication behind his words made Byleth blush. A world where she and Yuri were standing side by side, it didn’t sound so bad. She smiled. The road would be a long one before them, but she knew that there was no one else she would rather walk that road with.

“I accept, Artorias,” She said as she watched Yuri smile. “In exchange, I want you to accept this from me as well.” Byleth opened her palm to expose her mother’s old ring.

“Byleth…” Yuri was nearly breathless at the sight. He looked her in the eye. “Were you expecting me to come here?” He teased her despite the growing smile on his face.

“No, but now is a better time than ever to give this to you,” Byleth laughed. 

The Goddess Tower grew silent as they slipped on their respective rings. Byleth smiled as she saw her reflection in the tiny gem. She looked over at Yuri, who seemed to be admiring his own ring as well. She tugged on his collar and brought him down to her height before she was kissing him. Yuri returned the kiss in earnest and Byleth could only smile. A shining world for everyone, even for people as tainted as the two of them.

“Come with me,” Byleth whispered as she pulled away. “I don’t want to be alone when I see Rhea.”

***

Dusk had arrived faster much to Byleth’s chagrin. She supposed it was her fault for not getting much sleep the night before. She was dressed in her former mercenary attire, thinking nothing of donning the elaborate robes she wore on the battlefield. However, she kept the Sword of the Creator close to her. It didn’t feel right to come without it. Yuri squeezed her shoulder in reassurance. She can do this.

She saw Rhea, Seteth, and Flayn come into view and tried not to tense up. Byleth took a few steps forward with Yuri trailing behind her. “Lady Rhea,” Byleth greeted her as she bowed her head in respect. “I hope you don’t mind if Yuri accompanies us.”

“Sweet child, not at all,” Rhea said softly as she looked over at Yuri. “He is a dear friend who helped us with Aelfric, after all. I trust Yuri with all my being.” Her eyes glanced downward and Byleth noticed that Rhea was looking at their rings. “I see that I am not the only one who has come to trust Yuri. I must congratulate the both of you on your newfound companionship.”

“Ah, thank you,” Byleth mumbled as her cheeks turned red. Yuri snickered right next to her, and she tried her best to elbow him in the ribs.

“Have you made your decision, Byleth?” Seteth veered away from the subject as they all turned their attention to her. “Thankfully, Rhea has survived her trying ordeal. However…” He trailed off as his eyebrow furrowed in worry. “There is no telling how longer her light will continue to shine.”

“Byleth, have you decided? Will you become the next ruler of Fódlan?” Flayn asked.

As she opened her mouth to answer, Rhea held her hand up.

“Before we hear you answer, I shall fulfill the promise I have made to you,” Rhea interrupted. “You will know the truth of who you are, Byleth. I will hold nothing back.”

And so, she began to talk. Rhea mentioned the origins of Byleth’s birth; a baby who was destined to die was brought back to life with the power of the progenitor god’s crest stone. Byleth’s hand clenched into a fist at the mention of her mother-- Sitri Eisner-- the same woman who was willing to sacrifice her own life in return for her baby’s. As a result of the crest stone being buried deep in her heart, Byleth suffered from fully expressing herself, but that began to change after Sothis was present in her conscience. 

She mentioned how she saved Jeralt’s life by giving him her own blood. (Byleth thought back to a conversation she had with Alois; how he mentioned that her father was over 100 years old.) In turn, carrying the blood of Saint Seiros and having the Crest stone planted in her heart was enough to bring Sothis back. But in the end, Sothis gave all of her power to Byleth, and disappeared once more.

“If I may ask, Lady Rhea," Byleth interrupted, "something has been in my mind for quite awhile concerning the Heroes Relics--" "I imagine you must be wondering why you're able to wield all of them without suffering any reparations," Rhea answered her question before Byleth could ask. "It is true that if one does not wield their respective Heroes Relic, they can suffer burns; or if they possess no crest at all, turn into a Demonic Beast. You are different, however. You have the Crest of Flames." "My crest is responsible?" Byleth asked in surprise as her eyes glanced down at the Sword of the Creator. 

“You alone wield the power of the progenitor god,” Rhea declared. “And now, I must ask you to use that power to save the world. You must…”

At that moment, Byleth felt a pounding in her veins. Her eyes widened as she looked at Rhea, who suddenly looked winded and nearly keeled over in pain. 

“No… no!” Rhea yelled as she wrapped her arms around herself.

White smoke filtered in the area and Byleth took a step back. Seteth and Flayn were by Rhea’s side, trying to reassure her that everything would be okay. Everything became white noise as Byleth tried not to fall to her knees. Suddenly, she was blinded by the sudden flash of neon green.

“Byleth!” Yuri called out to her before wrapping his arms around her, tackling the both of them to the ground. A large gust of wind filled the air before the flapping of wings was heard, and then a deranged roar. Byleth let out a groan as Yuri apologized to her profusely, making sure that she wasn’t hurt.

She barely had any time to answer, though, as another roar tore through the sky. The both of them looked up to see the Immaculate One soaring through the heavens, but something was wrong. Rhea didn’t seem to be in her right mind.

As they both scrambled to get up, a knight was reporting to Seteth, who was helping Flayn up. She tried to tune in to the knight’s words over the chaos from above.

“White beasts… the priests and knights… Demonic Beasts… approaching Garreg Mach…”

And then Seteth was nearly sobbing.

“We must… We must kill Rhea!”

Byleth instinctively reached back for Yuri’s hand. She was shaking. “We have to prepare for battle. Now.” She said quickly before looking back at him. His eyes were blown out in surprise, his lips parted as he tried to catch his breath. “We have no time to waste. Alert the others, now!”

As she tried to run off, Yuri pulled her back. Byeth gave him an offended look. Instead, his hand wrapped around her wrist tight. “No,” he said plainly.

She was perplexed by his answer. “ _No_?” Byleth repeated. She straightened her back as she narrowed her eyes at him. He did the same in return. “It is not wise to obey a commander’s direct orders, _Yuri_. Now let go of me or--”

“No!” Yuri yelled, and Byleth stopped her fussing. Her mouth dropped open in surprise. “I am not allowing you to run off again, Byleth. I am tired of you running head-on into danger! Do you have any idea how that makes others feel-- how it makes _me_ feel--to see you disobey even your own orders!?” He snapped. His chest was heaving in anger before his head hung low, and he wasn’t looking Byleth in the eyes. “One of these days, Byleth, you’re going to get yourself killed with how often you’re running into battle without thinking. Don’t you _dare_ go back on our promise,” He muttered.

The pounding of feet and shouts began to fill the area as a third roar cried out into the air. Byleth looked down at where Yuri was holding onto her wrist and frowned. Their rings shone at her almost mockingly. All this time Byleth had been focused on her goal, and for what? To immediately forfeit her life when she had promised him that she was here to stay? She was a hypocrite. An absolute fool. Byleth sighed as she weakly wrapped her other arms around him.

“Forgive me,” She said pathetically. The entire world became a blur as she rested her forehead against his shoulder. “I’ve been a fool, haven’t I?” She could feel soldiers pushing past the both of them, but Byleth didn’t care. Byleth could feel Yuri’s fingers messing with her ring. She sighed. “I don't know how to properly apologize for what I’ve done. All this time I believed that I was protecting everyone-- protecting you-- when in the end I only continued to hurt.”

“For once, allow me to protect you,” Yuri sighed in anger. “You’re allowed to rely on me, you know that? So please, just let me protect you. I’m… tired of having to wait until the next time you wake up.”

"Yes, that… sounds fair," Byleth gulped. "If protecting me will make you feel better, I will allow it." She turned her attention to him. She put a finger under his chin and turned his face towards her before frowning. "But only if _you_ do not put yourself in danger as well." Yuri maintained a neutral look before he gently squeezed her wrist and there was a small smile on his face. "A promise to each other?" He asked. Byleth nodded. "It's a promise." 

***

The scene felt a little too familiar for Yuri’s own liking. How many times did he come upon a situation where his own life was threatened, and then someone with green hair had turned into a beast? To be fair, Yuri had experienced it only twice, but he sure as hell hoped there wouldn’t be a third time. The enemies they were going up against had nearly lost their mind, but it was nothing compared to what they experienced at Remire. No, this time it was because they shared their blood with Rhea, and they were on the verge of frenzy. 

He jumped away from one of the white beasts before Constance brought down a crack of thunder, and then Balthus was punching away at it with all of his might. In the distance he could make out Hapi, Lysithea, and Linhardt rush towards some of the new reinforcements, a whirlwind of gales and dark magic exploding from their side. To his right, Ashe had claimed one of the ballistas and used it to weaken the flying white beasts before Leonie and Raphael were coming in to poke away at its defenses.

It was a messy battle. Never before had he seen so much holy blood spilled, on the grounds of Garreg Mach no less. Knights and priests who swore their fealty to Rhea, only to meet their doom just like she was. Yuri nearly felt bad for them, but remembered that he was close to suffering a similar fate had Rhea fully granted him her powers. He dispelled the thought as his sword drove into the stomach of a monk before the light faded from their eyes and they were falling to the ground.

He glanced around the battlefield, trying to make out the familiar waves of green before a familiar _crack_ of a whip echoed through the air. He tilted his head up. Just several feet away, Byleth had turned the Sword of the Creator into its other form, and she swiftly brought her arm up before flinging her wrist in multiple directions. The whip extended far enough to have a dozen of enemies caught up in the storm and she promptly pulled back as their bodies flew up into the air before coming back down.

Their blood began to rain down and Byleth let out a sound of disgust as some of the blood showered itself upon her. Yuri paused. Perhaps it wasn’t appropriate to think this way considering he was on the battlefield, but he would be damned if he didn’t think that Byleth flawlessly cutting down her enemies before being covered in their blood was a sight to behold. She was in her element in those moments. 

“Hey, pal, control yourself!” Balthus yelled before slapping Yuri on the back with a bit too much force. “Fight now, think about her later!”

Right, he should be focusing on the battle. He shook his head before running up to Byleth. She looked over at him as she tried to catch her breath.

“How many more?” She asked him, referring to the white beasts that floated ominously above their heads.

“Sylvain and Felix are dealing with the last one,” Yuri told her as they both turned their attention to the Immaculate One. “This is it. We have to kill Rhea, or else Fódlan will be destroyed by her rampage.”

Yuri saw Byleth visibly tense up and he frowned. It was only natural for her to have such a reaction. The same woman who showed them great care was now the largest threat for the world they wished to create. It was a sacrifice they had to make, no matter how much it ate away at them.

Byleth turned her head towards him and nodded. “Let’s do this.”

They both broke into a run as the Immaculate One became aware of their presence. Their allies took care of the remaining enemies as they became focused on their goal. She let out a deranged roar before bringing up her claw and swinging. They both ducked and quickly regained their footing. Yuri gasped as the Immaculate One was already bringing up her other claw, and he quickly pushed Byleth to the side before bringing his sword up to block the attack. He used all of his strength to push her back before Byleth was running past him and cut off the claw.

They stumbled back as the Immaculate One fell onto her side, letting out a cry as blue blood began to seep out of the hole where her claw used to be. However, she was persistent and was slowly getting back up, her scales beginning to manifest another claw out of thin air. Yuri’s breath got caught in his throat. She was regenerating quickly. They needed to end this now.

“Byleth,” he rasped out. “I’ll take the defensive. When the opportunity presents itself, you deal the final blow. Understood?” From the corner of his eye, Byleth nodded and Yuri’s gaze fell back on the Immaculate One. Her head was tilting up towards the sky as a ball of light formed in her mouth. They both tumbled to opposite sides as they avoided the beam of light. His left hand was burning. The Fetters of Dromi burned intensely in the darkness, just like the Sword of the Creator.

The Immaculate One’s attacks were relentless. When Yuri was able to parry her attacks, Byleth would come swooping in. It was as if they were dancing with their enemy, a deadly combination of both formidable offense and defense. Even if they were suffering wounds, the familiar Faith magic that came from afar alerted Yuri that his allies were healing them.

White hot electricity shot up Yuri’s left, surging throughout his entire body. As the Immaculate One was crying out in pain from Byleth’s previous attack, his body was covered in a bright red glow. The Fetters of Dromi continued to burn endlessly, its crest stone pulsating in tandem with his heartbeat. In that moment, it felt as if the Fetters of Dromi were becoming one with him.

Yuri took full advantage of his power boost. He slid forward and watched as the crest of Aubin manifested before him. He clenched and put all of his strength into one powerful swing, hitting the Immaculate One in the eye. Just as he was about to pull back, his crest manifested once more. He quickly acted, letting out a battle cry as he thrusted his sword forward, digging it deep into the Immaculate One’s other eye.

“Byleth, now!” He yelled, power continued to surge throughout his entire being. 

There was a glimmer in Byleth’s eyes as she ran forward, her body beginning to glow the same shade of bright red. Yuri let out a gasp as power wracked his entire body and there was a pounding in his ears. As he examined Byleth’s movements, he understood his newfound power surge. Their teamwork caused them to act as one, to feel as one. Did the Crest of Flames grant such power to those its crest bearer formed strong ties with? Byleth was jumping in the air and as she was about to deal with the final blow, Yuri felt that same movement in his veins. In that moment he understood; their crests were reacting in kind because of his bond with Byleth. This was his potential.

The Sword of the Creator dug itself deep into the skull of the Immaculate One. She was letting a scream that sounded too human for Yuri’s own liking. Suddenly, she was swinging her head and Byleth couldn’t hold onto the Sword of the Creator. Her hands let go of the handle and Yuri was running to catch her. They both fell to the ground with a thud.

Yuri and Byleth turned their attention towards the Immaculate One, who continued to scream in agony. At last, blue blood began to seep out of the wound and it wasn’t long until the Immaculate One stopped moving and her head slammed into the ground.

***

“By the will of our creator, do you, Yuri Leclerc, swear to uphold your duties in aiding our new land as king?”

Byleth peeked one eye open as she glanced towards Yuri. They were both kneeling before Seteth, their headdress and circlet resting on velvet pillows held by Catherine and Alois. Their wedding and now coronation were held swiftly after the final battle to ensure that Fodlan would move forward with a ruler. She closed her eye as Yuri began to speak.

“Through the blessings imbued in our shared rings, through the trifles that Fódlan had suffered, I, Yuri Leclerc, swear to aide the Kingdom of Fodlan to ensure ever-lasting peace,” Yuri’s voice was steady as he proclaimed his fealty to their new homeland. “By the will of our creator, I swear.” 

“By the will of our creator, do you, Byleth Leclerc, swear to uphold your duties as the new queen of Fódlan?” Seteth asked as his voice echoed throughout the throne room.

“For the lives that were lost, for the people who stand here now as we create a new page in history, I, Byleth Leclerc, swear to lead the Kingdom of Fódlan to a new dawn,” Byleth answered as she held her hands together in prayer, her head hung low. “By the will of our creator, I swear.”

She felt an unfamiliar weight press onto her head as Seteth bestowed her the headdress, the chains and beads sounding like twinkling stars. The headdress was heavy atop her head. Byleth did her best not to fall forward under its weight. As she slowly stood up, Byleth opened her eyes to Seteth’s and Flayn’s smiling faces, and finally she turned to the throng of people present in the throne room.

“People of Fodlan, on the 15th of the Garland Moon, Imperial Year 1186, may we present our king and queen, Yuri and Byleth Leclerc!” Seteth said with pride as the room erupted into cheers. 

Byleth could make out familiar faces in the crowd. All of her former students, including those of the Blue Lions and Golden Deer houses, were present. They were all smiling, crying, cheering, and laughing. After five years of turmoil and despair, the war that had thrown Fodlan into despair was finally over. 

As she took a small bow, Byleth looked up and gasped. Two figures cladded in red and blue stood in the back of the throne room. She could barely make out their faces, only seeing their smiles, before they turned their backs and were walking out. Byleth blinked before rubbing her eyes. She turned her head as someone rested their hand on her shoulder.

“You okay?” Yuri asked her. Byleth took a step back to look at him.

While it was not as elaborate as her headdress, Yuri’s circlet was just as extravagant. It rested atop his head, twisting and turning into small golden vines. Two golden chains enlaced with different gems swooped around his head, just barely above his ears. Some might have found it plain compared to hers, but Byleth found it suited Yuri all the same.

“Cat got your tongue?” Yuri teased her as some of the guests began to filter out of the room. 

“Perhaps,” Byleth hummed as she waved at her Eagles. “The circlet suits you.”

“Are you kidding?” Yuri wheezed as they began to descend the stairs. “This shit is heavy as hell. I don’t understand how former kings and queens did it.”

Byleth laughed. “I share your sentiment. Methinks that it will take time before we get used to it,” she claimed before averting her gaze. “After all, Rhea got used to it.”

They stopped at the bottom of the staircase, falling into an uncomfortable silence. Shortly after Byleth dealt the final blow, they could only remember how the Immaculate One began to ebb away, white flower petals flying into the air and surrounding the entirety of Garreg Mach. In its wake left Rhea, who suffered horrendous wounds. She had only murmured a few words before her head fell back, and Yuri and Byleth could only sit there in silence as the Archbishop passed away.

“Professor! Yuri!” Dorothea called out to them. The other Eagles accompanied her. They wore more extravagant outfits, donning medals and badges that represented their efforts during the war. They all smiled as Byleth approached the group with Yuri in tow.

“The two of you were amazing up there,” Ferdinand praised them. “You may have not been of noble birth, but the two of you surely presented yourselves as nobles.”

“It would seem that Ferdinand has continued his talk of nobles,” Petra sighed as the other Eagles shook their heads. Ferdinand looked back at them with a glare.

“My, everyone is rather lively,” Constance smiled. Hapi and Balthus were behind her. “I daresay that the two of you even put my own excellence to shame.”

“Coco praising Yuri-bird and Chatterbox? Today surely is a weird day,” Hapi gawked.

“Come now, you’re all adults. Shouldn’t you be heading to the Great Hall?” Seteth sighed as they caught up to the group. Beside him Flayn was beaming with joy. “Hurry along now, the other guests are surely waiting for their new rulers to arrive.”

As Seteth ushered the remaining guests out of the throne room, Byleth reached down to hold Yuri’s hand. She smiled as Yuri laced her fingers with his, and he squeezed tight. “You don’t think they’ll mind if we slip away for a bit, do they?” Byleth whispered as she glanced at him. Yuri’s eyes stared straight ahead and it wasn’t until the doors to the throne room closed that he turned to face her.

He smirked. “Oh? Do you happen to have something _else_ in mind?” Yuri nearly purred. Byleth could make out the familiar desire that swirled deep within his lavender eyes. Her entire body trembled, which didn’t go unnoticed by Yuri.

“I do,” Byleth gasped before Yuri pulled her in closer, their bodies pressed against each other. “We are married after all. Perhaps you think it is time that we I don’t know… begin our legacy by starting a family, Artorias?”

The hand that was trailing itself alongside Byleth’s arm stopped, and Yuri pulled back with a surprised look on his face. Byleth smirked to herself. It was rare when he became so flustered by her words. Instead of speaking, Byleth turned away from him and started to walk off. She’s standing outside the door of one of the empty rooms and waits. She could hear Yuri coming back to his senses before he’s running after her.

***

__________

**22nd of the Pegasus Moon, Imperial Year 1187**

__________

Yuri’s fist hovered against the wooden door. Once again, he was hesitating. He had endured things far worse, including his own coronation nearly a year ago. By now, Yuri thought himself to have experienced everything that life had to offer. Until today, when he was returning from his trip in Almyra, he was greeted by a frantic Ingrid and Ashe.

“Your Majesty!” Ingrid huffed out as she managed a small bow. “The Professor--”

“The Queen--” Ashe quickly corrected her.

“--has gone into labor just last night!”

Upon hearing those words he demanded that they bring him to Byleth. They ushered him through Garreg Mach’s elaborate halls before they were standing outside his shared chambers with Byleth. After he had dismissed Ingrid and Ashe, Yuri had found that whatever confidence he had was thrown away. It was terribly quiet in their chambers.

Before Yuri could knock, the door slowly swung open. His eyes widened as Mercedes blinked at him. He stood there for a moment before she was stepping to the side with a small smile.

“It is a pleasure to see you, your Highness,” Mercedes nearly giggled as Yuri walked into the room. “Make sure to keep your voice down. The prince is sleeping.”

A baby boy. 

How he managed to find himself by Byleth’s side was all a complete blur as she handed him the blanket that held their son. Yuri did his best to keep calm as Byleth adjusted his arms before he was standing up straight. Their son was fast asleep, letting out a small whimper before burying his head into the crook of Yuri’s arm.

Byleth looked at them with a smile. Small bags were beginning to form beneath her eyes. Despite how tired she looked, her hair was combed out and her skin was practically glowing. Yuri found her as beautiful as ever.

“Luca,” Yuri spoke softly, the name unfamiliar on his tongue. He looked down at their son’s sleeping face. He noticed the small tuft of purple hair on Luca’s head.

“Lavender hair and eyes,” Byleth whispered as she laid against her pillows. “Just like his father.”

Yuri carefully shifted Luca’s weight so his entire body laid against Yuri’s left arm. Slowly, Yuri hovered his hand over Luca and his eyes widened as a familiar symbol curved like vines above his chest before quickly fading away. He smiled and looked over at Byleth.

“And the Crest of Flames, just like his mother.”

Yuri closed his eyes, drinking in the atmosphere. In their tiny room, Yuri was not the king of Fódlan. He was not Yuri. Instead, he was Artorias Leclerc, husband to Byleth and father to their son, Luca. Just like how their relationship first formed, the two have found solace in the place where they were most vulnerable; a world unlike none other. Artorias smiled.

In Byleth, Artorias was able to find the world.

And nothing could make him happier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh we did it! I'm so happy that this story is over... but also really depressed lol. Regardless, I'm happy that I was actually able to finish this story without losing any momentum. This outbreak surely has done wonders for my creative juices lol.
> 
> Thank you all so much for the bookmarks, kudos, and comments. It makes me so happy to know that some of you took time out of your day to read a story I made on a whim. As for future plans, I'm unsure if I will write a sequel for this story. But if I do... let's just say that Luca will get his moment to shine (along with his siblings ;)).
> 
> If you have stuck along for this long, I just want to say thank you. It means so much to me knowing that I have garnered your support for this long.
> 
> If you wanna scream about FE or about my story, I'm on Twitter @hautecleres.
> 
> And with that, I hope all of you have an amazing morning/afternoon/evening! <3

**Author's Note:**

> hi uh mr. yuri stole my heart and i am not complaining one bit lol. I hope he wasn't too OOC! i tried really hard to pump this out before i was hit with writer's block again. also, this isn't beta read so if there's any mistakes i'll fix them in the future.
> 
> my IG is @f.raldarius. I scream about Fire Emblem... a fucking lot!! maybe i'll make a twitter soon we'll see


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